This is particularly fascinating because it implies different neurological pathway functioning during the illusion. Early interpretations of visual hallucinations were that either the "lens" or the "filter" were malfunctioning, but this implies complex causal loops impacting each other
/2 This is not just merely the "phi phenomenon", we are seeing the direction of the arrow and using that to 'prime' (as an anchor for) the inertia of the illusion. This to me says that several separate VC and EF regions are being activated. Fun PhD subject for some newcomer!
You can cover up the arrows and you will still see the boxes appear to move in the direction indicated by the hidden arrows. The illusion is created by the white parts relative to the black outline/shadow which *does* change.
You are right, my apologies! Scrap what I said
You’re not totally wrong. A lot of illusions are done exactly as you describe. Whoever put this one together was being a little stinker with those arrows is all I’m saying. Tricky stuff!!