You've got something on your face




Somebody walks up to you and tells you that you have something on your face. They make a gesture on their left cheek to show you where the thing is on your face.

Do you have something on:

a) Your left cheek
b) Your right cheek

-----------------------------


Wrong answer (a)
Correct answer (b)
Chinese/Taiwanese people
American people
Swedish people
Indian people
......




Please help me demonstrate that the "correct" answer is B by performing this experiment on your friends from various countries of origin!

Also, Chris notes that while B is the socially accepted answer and that it is the most effective way of communicating with other people and that it is difficult and unintuitive to persuade others to change, Americans are stupid and we should learn to tell our lefts from our rights. However, Chris's decisions can be safely ignored, as he uses the underhand toilet paper method.

( Updated 2009-11-08 )

Comments

Unknown said…
I (and LW) proof the statement about Taiwanese is correct.
9:03 PM
Anonymous said…
my friend who is from Lebanon choose the answer b
10:40 PM
Unknown said…
I respectfully disagree with Chris. It's not about knowing left from right. When someone is showing you something on your face, they are acting as your mirror image (so left is right, and right is left). Therefore the correct answer really is B.

Also, I think not only do we touch our mirror image cheek when trying to bring attention to the object on someone's face, but we fix our eyes on it on the other person's cheek. We even widen our eyes and move our eyebrows. We really work hard to let them know.

Now that I think of it, I realize it's easier just to reach out and wipe off their face. :o)
6:27 AM
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