<p>While eye contact is certainly important in social interaction I think you should beware pseudoscientific dating advice based on manufacturing "attraction" between men and women. Since this site is about science, let me point to a couple of areas of empirical research looking at eye contact.</p>

<p>First, there are quite a few experimental papers showing that (pictures of) faces with direct gaze (looking towards you) capture and hold attention, are remembered better, and that they are rated as more attractive. For details see this <a href="http://people.uncw.edu/hakanr/documents/gazeandattraction.pdf" rel="noreferrer">pdf</a>. There are other similar papers.</p>

<p>Second, there is a long tradition of looking at gaze in non-verbal behaviour. Basically, although this shows that people are sensitive to direct gaze it is only one of many cues related to conversation etc. A classic review is <a href="http://psycnet.apa.org/journals/bul/100/1/78/" rel="noreferrer">here</a>. Interestingly, the timing of direct gaze (when you look and when you look away) is very important in <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0136905" rel="noreferrer">conversation</a>.</p>

<p>This suggests to me that both looking at someone too long, and not looking at them enough or at awkward times, can cause interactions to suffer. Atypical eye contact is a diagnostic criterion for <a href="https://www.autismspeaks.org/site-wide/eye-gaze" rel="noreferrer">autism</a>, which is normally associated with difficulties in socialising.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-02-28T13:26:46.427Z
2016-02-28T13:26:46.427Z
splint
<p>How important is eye contact for creating/inducing attraction &amp; showing showing "confidence" towards them?</p>

<p>What is the optimal eye locking duration between 2 persons for inducing this attraction?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-04-26T09:14:33.147Z
Obligatory XKCD: [Journal](https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/374:_Journal)
Ooker
<social-psychology><sexuality><eye-movement><physical-attraction>
How important is eye contact for attraction between a man and woman?
user3475
# How important is eye contact for attraction between a man and woman?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2013-08-30)

How important is eye contact for creating/inducing attraction & showing showing "confidence" towards them?

What is the optimal eye locking duration between 2 persons for inducing this attraction?

**Tags:** social-psychology, sexuality, eye-movement, physical-attraction

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Obligatory XKCD: [Journal](https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/374:_Journal)  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2016-02-28. Score: 5

While eye contact is certainly important in social interaction I think you should beware pseudoscientific dating advice based on manufacturing "attraction" between men and women. Since this site is about science, let me point to a couple of areas of empirical research looking at eye contact.

First, there are quite a few experimental papers showing that (pictures of) faces with direct gaze (looking towards you) capture and hold attention, are remembered better, and that they are rated as more attractive. For details see this [pdf](http://people.uncw.edu/hakanr/documents/gazeandattraction.pdf). There are other similar papers.

Second, there is a long tradition of looking at gaze in non-verbal behaviour. Basically, although this shows that people are sensitive to direct gaze it is only one of many cues related to conversation etc. A classic review is [here](http://psycnet.apa.org/journals/bul/100/1/78/). Interestingly, the timing of direct gaze (when you look and when you look away) is very important in [conversation](http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0136905).

This suggests to me that both looking at someone too long, and not looking at them enough or at awkward times, can cause interactions to suffer. Atypical eye contact is a diagnostic criterion for [autism](https://www.autismspeaks.org/site-wide/eye-gaze), which is normally associated with difficulties in socialising.


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