Eye Contact When Talking.

Oh this is a big one for me, 'cuz you see I'm very good at reading body language and nothing tells me more about the person I'm speaking with (as well as what's going on inside their heads at the moment) than their eyes. Everything about their eyes. If they make eye contact, how long they keep eye contact, when they make eye contact and when they avoid it, all of that tells me a lot about the speaker (there's something else that I look for but I don't know how to put it into words).

The thing is, precisely because I know how expressive the eyes can be I'm also highly aware that it is a two-way street. A perceptive individual will be able to do the same to me and... I'm... Not very comfortable exposing myself like that to strangers, hence my shyness (or apparent shyness).

Among people I know I'm much more carefree with my eyes, I already know them after all and they know me (or what I want them to know about me ) so I have no qualms making lots of eye-contact. Things get more complicated with strangers and with people I'm interested in (a lot more complicated with the latter).

 

I make strong eye contact, whether I'm with friends, family, teachers, strangers, etc. I've had it beaten into me by my Grandmother to do so, haha. I find it weird how in some cultures it is deemed disrespectful, I've always been raised to say that it is a wonderful thing to do showing confidence, trust, openness and intelligence.

 

It depends on the situation, who I'm talking with, what we're talking about and how I'm feeling.

I've been told that my eyes can be read as an open book. So, when I don't feel well and don't want someone to notice it, I'll make less eye contact.

If I'm feeling well and I'm comfortable with the person I'm talking to, I'll make lots of eye contact. You can tell a lot about a person from their eyes.

With strangers or acquaintances, I think I generally hold eye contact quite well. I feel like I'm pretty confident in doing so anyways.

Then there's the person I have feelings for. Now that, that is just awkward. Her eyes are so intense. When she looks me in the eye, it's like she sees right through me. She's pretty good at holding the gaze too, I'm almost always the one to "cave". The amount of eye contact I make with her is dependent on how well I feel that day, as well as how brave I'm feeling. Ha ha.

 

I do not do this ever

 

I try to mirror what the person I am talking with does. If they are "shake my hand firm and look me in the eye" people, I respond in kind. If they avert their gaze, so do I. I don't want them feeling threatened.

 

Right. Me and eye contact. Um, I'm pretty horrible at it.

Especially with my crush. I find it SO HARD to look her in the eye sometimes. As in, she's actually noticed that I act like that. It's so awkward! Luckily she hasn't figured out the reason why (Can't imagine why though, I would have thought it was obvious, what with me being terrible at acting and doing a pretty bad job of hiding my feelings). It's just a bit difficult sometimes, because looking at her too long overwhelms me, probably because it makes me a bit extra-attracted to her, and it's like I can feel my emotions radiating off me and I think it must be really obviously written all over me. So I look away. But at the end of the day, it's the looking away that's probably more of a tell than the feelings I get by looking at her. If that makes sense.

 

Proper etiquette dictates that when initializing a conversation of any type, you do make eye contact.

After that, it is considered proper to glance away every 5-10 seconds or so, but just for a couple of seconds.

You want to let the other person know you are listening to what they are saying, but you don't want to creep them out by constantly staring at them while they are speaking.

 

Social etiquette is generally worthless and unnecessary not to mention how much it complicates everything for anyone with any form of social anxiety. I don't think people are even aware of how intimidating the act of simply attempting eye contact can be for some people and anyone who expects it from everyone is stupid

 

I make very little eye contact, it makes me nervous and just feels weird. I've been working on it recently, since people always take it personally. Usually I look down and sometimes way off to the side.

 

Eye contact is extremely uncomfortable to me. I've been trying, in the last year, to make a more conscious effort to look at people and it feels like my ability is getting worse. I really only make eye contact with family and friends that I'm comfortable with. With everyone else, I'm looking at everything but that person's face.

 

Seldom. It's out of habit, really. When I talk to people, I tend to think a lot and my eyes wander.

 

Now that I think about it I rarely do it.
Hmmmm....

 

That was my first thought :lol: I generally look just past a person. I fear that I'm making people uncomfortable if I look too much at their eyes. If I know somebody very well, they'll understand I'm listening, even if I'm at the other side of the room and not looking at them.

 

I do eye contact most of the time but if its someone I like I tend to look in other things before doing the eye contact.

 

I aim for frequent but fleeting eye contact. Having trouble with focusing and tracking, it is physically difficult and requires concentration for me to hold it any longer, on top of the fact I've always disliked eye contact. I also do the thing of substituting looking at the eyes with looking in the general area of the face, mouth, chin etc. Although my eyes will inevitably dart about the surroundings a bit.

 

It depends if I like who I'm looking at.
I keep distance with coworkers and at my job, even if at times I'd love to be more warm with them.

Outside with friends, it depends if I like you or not. If you are a good friend of mine, or a relative I'm fond of, I will make a lot of eye contact, but if I notice I'm making you uncomfortable, I'll try to adapt.

To me it's a sign of affection.

 

Avoid it.

 

I always make and maintain appropriate eye contact. I Find its especially important if you want to approach a new person to ask them out.

Happy days

 

I like to keep eye contact but sometimes I find myself looking away

 

I am really bad with eye contact, always have been.

If I am having a conversation with someone I know well then I don't mind it, although if it's someone I don't know it makes me feel really uncomfortable and I keep looking away. Always been like that.

I don't like fixed constant eye contact.