<p>I haven't met a person who wouldn't at least glance at a camera's lens from time to time when they're aware it's capturing an image or a video of them.</p>

<p>Usually creatures transmit a lot of information through their eyes and face, so it's natural for us to look at someone's eyes, but when we know cameras don't work like that, why do we still keep looking at them?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-12-10T00:26:11.700Z
@ChrisStronks This is okay.  It's something that is an objective, testable phenomenon and may have answers in the literature.  In general, just because a question asserts that something might be true doesn't make it a matter of opinion.
Chuck Sherrington
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-12-13T21:09:05.900Z
Nonetheless, the poster should do at least a minimum of research before expressing an opinion and/or asking a question that is likely to invite opinion, so as to narrow down the type of research they are after.
Arnon Weinberg
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-12-19T09:07:29.107Z
I would say it is just that we feel being watched by it, and when something watches us, we feel more confortable looking it in the eyes (or lens). I know there is some research on this topic done with robots (which also only look through cameras), I just can't remember more details. Of course, a robot is more than just plain camera, but I think it is the same matter. We see faces in everything and we see observers in cameras, because it is important for us to not miss them. Who knows what they are up to :)
Oriesok Vlassky
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-12-19T13:56:30.937Z
For what it's worth I often take photographs of animals, specifically birds. I have noticed the same behavior. They seem to understand that the camera lens is like a giant eye and will consistently look at it/ keep watching it. It's likely that it's foreign to them and they feel threatened by it but they act differently towards a lens than any other object I have seen them react to...
Josh
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-12-19T15:16:03.213Z
From Yotsuba& I've learned that birds will treat almost every [eye-looking object](https://www.google.ru/search?q=scareeye&tbm=isch) as a whole, potentially dangerous, creature. Not sure why it works with people, who do understand that it's just a piece of technology. Maybe some threatening feeling of a bad angle shot has its effect?
user1306322
<cognitive-psychology><social-psychology><communication><eye-movement>
What makes us look into camera lens when we're being filmed?
user1306322
# What makes us look into camera lens when we're being filmed?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2013-12-18)

I haven't met a person who wouldn't at least glance at a camera's lens from time to time when they're aware it's capturing an image or a video of them.

Usually creatures transmit a lot of information through their eyes and face, so it's natural for us to look at someone's eyes, but when we know cameras don't work like that, why do we still keep looking at them?

**Tags:** cognitive-psychology, social-psychology, communication, eye-movement

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: I would say it is just that we feel being watched by it, and when something watches us, we feel more confortable looking it in the eyes (or lens). I know there is some research on this topic done with robots (which also only look through cameras), I just can't remember more details. Of course, a robot is more than just plain camera, but I think it is the same matter. We see faces in everything and we see observers in cameras, because it is important for us to not miss them. Who knows what they are up to :)  
> **username_4**: For what it's worth I often take photographs of animals, specifically birds. I have noticed the same behavior. They seem to understand that the camera lens is like a giant eye and will consistently look at it/ keep watching it. It's likely that it's foreign to them and they feel threatened by it but they act differently towards a lens than any other object I have seen them react to...  
> **username_0**: From Yotsuba& I've learned that birds will treat almost every [eye-looking object](https://www.google.ru/search?q=scareeye&tbm=isch) as a whole, potentially dangerous, creature. Not sure why it works with people, who do understand that it's just a piece of technology. Maybe some threatening feeling of a bad angle shot has its effect?  
> **username_1**: @ChrisStronks This is okay.  It's something that is an objective, testable phenomenon and may have answers in the literature.  In general, just because a question asserts that something might be true doesn't make it a matter of opinion.  
> **username_2**: Nonetheless, the poster should do at least a minimum of research before expressing an opinion and/or asking a question that is likely to invite opinion, so as to narrow down the type of research they are after.  

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## 0 answers

