What are your reactions to eye contact?
I was not exactly sure how to word this question, and actually am not sure if this makes sense, but here goes my question..
I am not talking about making eye contact during a conversation, more so, making eye contact to a fellow co-worker, or classmate, across the room. In a room which includes other people as well. Unlike http://www.fluther.com/67780/what-do-you-do-when-you-make-eye-contact-with-a/, this is not a stranger, but someone you are acquainted with, have made conversation to before, or is aware of their presence and see them almost daily.
What are your thoughts on eye contact to accquaintances? Do you acknowledge them? Or do you just make eye contact, and then just continue on?
Let’s say you are sitting in a classroom, being lectured by your professor. As you gaze about the room, whether listening to the professor or not, you make eye contact with another fellow classmate, will you smile, or is it something that happens too often for you to acknowledge, thus you just continue to look around the room?
Does your relationship with the specific person you made eye contact with change your reaction? If it is someone you care less about, or like less, are you more likely to just continue on? Or if it is someone you are interested in, and you make eye contact with them… will you… make a goofy face? smile? wink?
Is there such etiquette for making eye contact? Please educate me.
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17 Answers
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You should always make eye contact with others, especially ones you know. For me this is just respectful and shows you’re interested. Someone who doesn’t make eye contact can often appear mistrustful. As for the classroom situation I don’t really look around the room unless the professor said something ridiculous and then usually everyone’s making faces.
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I am very comfortable with making eye contact, and yes, I’d smile or acknowledge another in some way.
I don’t trust anyone that can’t make eye contact, they are either extremely insecure, a liar, or, a wild animal. lol
I acknowledge the contact with acquaintances always, with strangers, sometimes.
Although I should probably also mention that growing up I couldn’t look people in the eyes. I agree with @Coloma that you shouldn’t always trust people that don’t make eye contact but I didn’t because I wasn’t confident enough in myself and had been told when I was younger that kids shouldn’t because it’s disrespectful to their elders (yeah not sure why, the person who told me this wasn’t a good person but I didn’t know the difference at 9)
I live in New England. For some reason, a lot of New Englanders just don’t do the eye contact thing.
I smile. I love eye contact, with anyone, and I have always felt like it is one of my strengths. I find it uncomfortable when someone is bashful or whatever and is unable to make any eye contact with me.
This is often mistaken for flirting, though.
I’m from Oregon. Eye contact is mandatory and anything less than a nod of acknowledgement is considered an insult.
@sevenfourteen
Kids are often shy I agree, lack confidence. A lack of confidence is the least of the potential evils though. haha
@Coloma agreed! If only that was all we had to worry about with kids… sigh.
People who do not make eye contact are rude. I dont know why i feel that way. Some people “creep me out” when we do make eye contact. ???
The OP is talking about eye contact whilein a lecture, which I assume eyes should be on the professor. It isn’t during a social interaction, whoch I think is what some people on the Q seem to be responding to. If it were me, I would most likely smile or give a little wave, or stare back for a moment, acknowledging their stare/eye contact, abd then refocus on my notes or the professor. I might ignore the eye contact, it would depend probably on the specific situation. I think while in a lecture it isn’t a big deal either way, because scanning the room is a momentary break from concentration more than anything. If it is meant to be a flirtation, then it is best ro pick it up after lecture anyway.
Depends upon whom the eye contact is with, and what the circumstances are. I usually just smile, or give a lil nod of my head.
If it’s a friend I smile at them or nod. If it’s anyone else I just continue on looking around the room after a second. Things like this happen to me often, but mostly with my friends.
Generally speaking, I smile and wink at them.
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