The mind is overwhelmed with new information and is constantly working to categorize and file away anything that seems repetitive and unimportant. This means that it gradually gets used to seeing the curved lines which are very simple and repetitive. Because this is so seemingly simple, the mind filters out the common, repeating lines so it can pay more attention to anything that is new and more important. In this optical illusion, the mind then over-compensates "backward" once simple straight lines reappear.