There’s something almost magnetic about the way fast, flashy personality tests grab our attention on social media. Whether you’re casually scrolling or taking a quick break, it’s hard to ignore those viral images that claim to reveal deep truths about your personality in just seconds. One of the latest trends involves a visual of overlapping concentric circles, with the claim that the number of circles you spot can reveal just how narcissistic you are.

Maybe you’ve seen the image yourself, paused to count the circles, and even sent it to a friend to compare results. That simple action—counting shapes and sharing what you found—taps into something timeless and deeply human: the desire to know ourselves better and to understand how we stack up against others. There’s an undeniable allure in believing that a single graphic can provide insight into something as complicated as narcissism.

We get a little thrill thinking we’re gaining some new understanding of our own personality through what seems like a game. That same impulse drives us to take every quiz from “Which Pizza Are You?” to in-depth personality profiles like the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. Whether serious or silly, these kinds of tests feed our curiosity. They make us feel like we’re discovering something important about who we are—and they give us an easy way to talk about it with other people. What’s really behind the appeal of these visual quizzes is pretty simple: they’re fast, easy to digest, and instantly shareable.

You don’t need to read a long article or complete a questionnaire—just look at a picture, react to what you see, and you’re done. They’re also perfect conversation starters. Even if we know the psychology behind them isn’t scientifically sound, we still enjoy the experience. We laugh about the results, debate the differences, and use them as a springboard for chatting with friends or reflecting on ourselves. These tests create little moments of connection. They give us an excuse to ask ourselves the kinds of questions we might not normally think about: Am I more self-centered than I realized? Why did I see fewer circles than my friend? What does that say about how I view the world? Of course, most of us don’t take the answers too seriously—but that’s not really the point.

The point is how these little illusions and quizzes help us tap into our natural curiosity. They make self-exploration feel fun and lighthearted, even if the subject matter touches on deeper psychological traits. It’s a reminder that getting to know ourselves doesn’t always have to be a heavy, introspective process. Sometimes, it can be as simple as staring at a bunch of circles and comparing notes. And sure, maybe the number of circles you see doesn’t actually determine how narcissistic you are. Real psychological assessments are far more complex and nuanced. But the test still serves a purpose—it gets people thinking, talking, and reflecting. It creates a moment of engagement in a busy digital world where most content is skimmed and forgotten. These little visual experiments slow us down just enough to wonder: who am I really, and how do others see me? In the end, that’s the real value of these viral quizzes. It’s not about the accuracy of the results, but the experience they create. They give us a playful way to engage with our identities, and they remind us that we’re all searching, in one way or another, for a clearer understanding of ourselves. Whether you’re counting circles, choosing your favorite pizza topping, or analyzing which color matches your mood, you’re participating in something bigger—the universal desire to connect, reflect, and learn more about who we are. So next time one of these posts shows up in your feed, don’t dismiss it as meaningless fluff. Take a second, play along, and enjoy the moment of curiosity. Because even the simplest illusions can lead to meaningful insights—or at least a good laugh with friends.