A strange optical illusion involving fried eggs has recently gone viral online after claiming:

“The number of circles you see determines if you’re a narcissist.”

At first glance, the image looks simple:

• several egg yolks arranged in a circle,
• a smiling face in the middle,
• and a frying pan surrounding everything.

But once people start counting the circles, arguments immediately begin in the comments because not everyone sees the same number.

Some people count:

• 8 circles,
• others see 10,
• 12,
• or even more.

So why does this happen?

Your Brain Doesn’t Process Images The Same Way As Everyone Else

Experts explain that optical illusions like this work because the brain automatically groups shapes, patterns, and outlines differently depending on:

• attention,
• visual focus,
• perception,
• and cognitive processing style.

Some people only notice the obvious circles first:

• the egg yolks,
• and the frying pan.

Others also count:

• the smiley face,
• the eyes,
• the pan handle,
• or hidden circular patterns inside the image.

That’s why people end up getting completely different answers while looking at the exact same picture.

Does It Really Reveal Narcissism?

Psychologists say viral images like this are mostly:

entertainment rather than real personality science.

There is no medical evidence proving that counting more or fewer circles can diagnose narcissism.

True narcissistic personality traits are usually identified through:

• long-term behavior,
• emotional patterns,
• relationships,
• and professional psychological evaluation.

However, these images spread quickly online because people love:

• comparing answers,
• testing friends,
• and debating who is “right.”

So… How Many Circles Are Actually There?

That depends entirely on:

what your brain decides to count.

And that’s exactly why the image became so addictive online — because the moment someone gets a different answer than you, your brain immediately wants to look again.