where do you look when talking to someone?

Hey TSR,

So I have just noticed that everytime I talk to someone face to face I stare at their teeth :s-smilie:

I don't know why but I just look at their teeth and I'm beginning to wonder if that it is the reason why people are a tad akward with me! or I look slightly past their head so behind them or at the floor :redface:

. Are you meant to look into their eyes???

So where do you look? Would you be freaked out if someone looked at your teeth when talking? Can you even tell if that is where they are looking?

(edited 12 years ago)

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Reply 1

Jaydiee

Their eyes?
Although I find it weird when the gaze is held for too long, so unless they look away then I do every so often.

Reply 2

*Catch-22*

Original post by Jaydiee

Their eyes?
Although I find it weird when the gaze is held for too long, so unless they look away then I do every so often.

That is what i thought too. I can't look into people's eyes for too long, just feels akward.

Reply 3

stupefy!

Original post by *Catch-22*

Hey TSR,

So I have just noticed that everytime I talk to someone face to face I stare at their teeth :s-smilie:

. Are you meant to look into their eyes???

So where do you look? Would you be freaked out if someone looked at your teeth when talking? Can you even tell if that is where they are looking?

I literally hate it when people stare at my teeth / mouth / somewhere randomly on my face so I think you should avoid doing that in the future! :P I look people in the eyes, but look away every so often so it's not creepy :biggrin:

eyes or my hands.

I don't think most people make a concious decision about where to look when they talk to people. I should imagine I look in the general direction of their eyes and around the rest of their face from time to time too, but research suggests that, during conversation, people lose focus of who they're talking to and you can even replace the speaker and they may not notice (honestly this is true!) The problem is, now that you've thought about this and are concious of where you look, you won't be able to stop thinking about it! :tongue:

Apparently if someone really likes you their gaze will shift periodically between your eyes and your lips, so look out for that :wink:

Reply 6

Zottula

I often wonder this. Sometimes this distracts me from the conversation. I feel more comfortable just looking at something else.

Reply 7

coca

In their eyes and occasionally glance at the surroundings. I wouldn't like it if someone stared at my mouth when I spoke to them.

Reply 8

TheCurlyHairedDude

In their eyes, otherwise it's rude. Obviously a quick gaze away to re-gain focus, but otherwise it's rude.

Reply 9

username564415

The eyes, I only occasionally look at mouth if it's a good female :sexface:

Reply 10

HarryisI

Their eyes. Any kind of movement in my peripheral vision. Occasional glance at their hands if they enjoy gesturing.

Reply 11

wasuup

their crotch. intensely

Reply 12

Onique

Eyes generally.
But one guy I talk to stares to long and too much so I look away from time to time.

One of my friends has frequent cases of split fringe and she can always tell cause my eyes tend to stare at her hair :biggrin:

Reply 13

*Catch-22*

Original post by wasuup

their crotch. intensely

Hmmm, not sure that would be appropriate....

Reply 14

kerily

I generally look at a space about a foot away from their head on either side (or if I'm feeling really antisocial, at the floor) but then I'm a mass of autism :colone:

I've heard that neurotypicals often look between someone's eyes, i.e. at the bridge of their nose. Not sure how true this is.

Reply 15

*Catch-22*

Original post by kerily

I generally look at a space about a foot away from their head on either side (or if I'm feeling really antisocial, at the floor) but then I'm a mass of autism :colone:

I've heard that neurotypicals often look between someone's eyes, i.e. at the bridge of their nose. Not sure how true this is.

I'm sorry but what's a neurotypical?? :biggrin:

Reply 16

cid

eyes if i am comfortable with them, nose/mouth if not. If its a formal conversation, i.e and interview, i will make a conscious effort to keep focus on the eyes. In a confrontation or an aggressive situation, the forhead.

Their lips

I just casually stare at their nose because they think I'm looking in their eyes and it doesn't make me feel (as) uncomfortable.

Reply 19

ummm

Depends who I'm with. If it's one of my friends then just relaxed eye contact most of the time.
If it's someone I really don't want to talk to, I look at the floor or just around me so I look distracted.

I hate it how when you ask a teacher to come over to explain something they always make extreme eye contact. Makes me feel so uncomfortable!