Why do we make eye-contact?

When two people in conversation attend to each other, their pupils begin to dilate in synchrony. When that synchrony peaks, we make eye contact and then rapidly desynchronize. This suggests that eye contact may help us toggle between being “in sync” and thinking independently.

Authors

Sophie Wohltjen, Thalia Wheatley

Publication

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS)

September 9, 2021

Research paper

Why do we make eye-contact?

September 9, 2021

Research paperPress Release

Authors

Sophie Wohltjen, Thalia Wheatley

Project communication

Funding for this research was generously provided by: