The word oculesics is often used interchangeably with eye contact.
Oculesics refers to the investigation of culturally-fluctuating propensities and appreciations of visual attention, gaze and other elements of the eyes.
Oculesics is one form of nonverbal communication.
Oculesics is the study of eye movement, behavior, gaze, and eye-related nonverbal communication.
Oculesics examines how eye contact, eye movement, pupil dilation, and gaze direction convey emotions, intentions, and social cues without words.
There are four aspects involved with oculesics:
Eye contact is one aspect of oculesics.
The others are pupil dilation, eye movement, blinking, and gaze direction.
Dimension 1: Eye contact
There are two methods of assessing eye contact:
Direct assessment Indirect assessment
Eye Contact signals attention, openness, intimacy, and can regulate conversational flow.
Lack of eye contact may be perceived as rudeness, insincerity, or lack of confidence, though interpretations vary by culture.
Dimension 2: eye movement
Eye movement can occur either voluntarily or involuntarily.
Various types of eye movement include changing eye direction, changing focus, or following objects with the eyes.
The five types of this movement include saccades, smooth pursuit, vergence, vestibulo-ocular, and optokinetic movements, and Includes voluntary and involuntary shifts in gaze, such as looking away, following objects, or quick jumps.
Dimension 3: pupil dilation
Pupillary response
Pupillary response refers to the voluntary or involuntary change in the size of the pupil.
The pupils may enlarge or dilate in response to the appearance of real or perceived new objects of focus, or at the real or perceived indication of such appearances.
Dimension 4: gaze direction Gazing deals with communicating and feeling intense desire with the eye, voluntarily or involuntarily.
Maintaining eye contact is considered to be a proof of sincerity, self-confidence and credibility, and should be maintained as a means of substantial improvement in interpersonal relationships.
Valuing the characteristics of lateralization of brain function between individuals, appropriate technique consists in staring at the left eye (non-dominant) of right-handed people, and at the right eye (non-dominant) of left-handed people.
Oculesics is a primary form of communicating emotion.
15 basic emotions – amusement, anger, contempt, contentment, disgust, embarrassment, excitement, fear, guilt, pride in achievement, relief, sadness/distress, satisfaction, sensory pleasure, and shame
Each of these fifteen stemming out to similar and related sub-emotions.
Some say there are eight basic emotions, which have eight opposite emotions, all of which create human feelings, which also have opposites.
Constant eye contact between two people is physically and mentally uncomfortable.
Emotions associated with the eye:
Anxiety – wetness or moisture in the eyes Anger – eyes glaring and wide open Boredom – eyes not focused, or focused on something else Desire – eyes wide, dilation of pupils Disgust – rapid turning away of eyes Envy – glaring Fear – eyes wide, or looking downward; may also be closed Happiness – “glittery” look to eyes, wrinkled at the sides Interest – intense focus, perhaps squinting Pity – heavy gaze to eyes, moisture in eyes Sadness – tears in eyes, looking downward; may have a sleepless appearance Shame – eyes looking down while head is turned down Surprise – eyes wide open
Eye behaviors associated with emotional summaries:
Eyes up – Different people look up for different reasons.
Some look up when they are thinking.
Others look upward in an effort to recall something from their memory.
It may also indicate a person’s subconscious display boredom.
The head position is also considered -an upwards look with a lowered head can be a coy, suggestive action.
Eyes down or voiding eye contact, or looking down, can be a sign of submission or fear, or that someone feels guilty.
In some cultures it may also be a sign of respect.
Lateral movement of eyes from the person from whom one is speaking could be a sign that something else has taken their interest.
Lateral movement of eyes may also mean that a person is easily distracted.
Looking to the left can mean that a person is trying to remember a sound while looking to the right can mean that the person is actually imagining the sound.
Side-to-side movement, however, can indicate that a person is lying.
Gazing/Staring at someone means that a person shows sincere interest.
Staring at a person’s lips can indicate that someone wants to kiss another person.
The subject of someone’s gaze can communicate what that person wants.
Glancing – Glancing can show a person’s true desires:glancing at a door might mean that someone wants to leave, while glancing at a glass of water might mean that a person is thirsty.
Eye contact – Eye contact shows sincere interest if it is unbroken.
A softening of the stare can indicate sexual desire.
Breaking that eye contact can be threatening to the person who does not break eye contact.
Staring-usually involves eyes wider than normal.
A lack of blinking may indicate more interest, but it may also indicate a stronger feeling than a person may intend.
Prolonged eye contact can be aggressive, affectionate, or deceptive.
Eyes follow movement naturally. If a person is interested in someone, then their eyes will naturally follow that person.
Squinting of the eyes may mean a person is trying to obtain a closer look. Or may also mean that a person is considering whether something is true or not.
Liars may use squinting as a tool to keep others from detecting their dishonesty.
Squinting may also be just a result of a bright light.
Blinking is a natural response that can occur for no other reason than having dry eyes.
It can also be the result of a person feeling greater levels of stress.
Rapid blinking can indicate arrogance while reduced blinking can move towards a stare.
Winking can indicate that two people are non-verbally communicating a shared understanding.
Winking can mean a hell or it can be a sign of flirtation.
Closing of eyes may be a response to fear or embarrassment, or a way to think more sincerely about a particular subject.
Eye moisture with tears can indicate sadness, but they are also used to wash and clean the eyes.
Damp eyes can be suppressed by crying or an expression of extreme happiness or laughter.
Pupil dilation –Sexual desire may be a cause of such dilation, or it may also be an indication of attraction.
Pupil Dilation is often associated with interest, arousal, or emotional response.
Physiologically, the eyes dilate when it is darker to let in more light.
Gaze Direction: Communicates focus, desire, or social dominance.
Rubbing of eyes – Eyes may water, causing a person to rub their own eyes, may happen when a person feels uncomfortable or tired. It may also happen when a person simply has something in their eyes.
Culture includes all of the nonverbal communication, customs, thought, speech and artifacts that make a group of people unique.
Most nonverbal communication is conveyed subconsciously, there are cultural similarities that enable us to understand the difference between what is being said and what is actually meant.
Typically children spend a couple of years learning to communicate verbally while simultaneously learning the idiosyncrasies of nonverbal communication of their culture.
Nonverbal communication styles vary by culture.
Most people, are oblivious to the differences in these nonverbal communication styles within their own culture, and they also assume that individuals from other cultures also communicate in the same way that they do (projected similarity).
Projected similarity results in misperceptions, misinterpretations, and misunderstandings occur with cross-cultural interactions when a person interprets another’s nonverbal communication in the light of his or her own cultural norms.
Nonverbal interaction between two individuals can have completely different meanings in different cultures.
Oculesics plays a tremendous role in obtaining meaning from other nonverbal cues: even in the same culture, humans still have trouble sometimes understanding each other because of their varying eye behavior, nonverbal cues, and cultural and personal differences.
Eye behavior shows special patterns in psychiatric patients, autistic children, and persons from diverse cultures.
The study of oculesics is used to test stimulation among patients and interest levels in children who are not as expressive verbally.
While lack of eye contact in many cultures can signal either disinterest or respect, depending on the culture of the individual, it may be an insight into a patient’s brain functions at the time of observation.
Within nonverbal communication, eye contact and eye behavior can actually help one differentiate between the cultural backgrounds of two individuals by looking at nothing but their eyes.
Anglo-Saxons tend to look steadily and intently into the eyes of the person to whom they are speaking.
Latinos will look into the eyes of the person to whom they are speaking, but only in a fleeting way, and then immediately their eyes to wander when speaking.
In traditional Anglo-Saxon culture, averting the eyes in such a way usually portrays a lack of confidence, certainty, or truthfulness.
In the Latino culture, direct or prolonged eye contact can also indicate that you are challenging the individual with whom you are speaking, or that you have a romantic interest in the person.
In the Islamic faith, most Muslims lower their heads and try not to focus on the opposite sex’s features save for the hands and face: a show of respect but also a cultural rule which enforces Islamic law.
Lustful glances at those of the opposite sex are also prohibited.
Most Asian cultures lower their eyes when speaking to a superior as a gesture of respect.
In many East Asian and north African cultures it is also respectful not to look the dominant person in the eye.
The seeking of constant unbroken eye contact by the other participant in a conversation can often be considered overbearing or distracting- even in Western cultures.
In the United States, eye contact may serve as a regulating gesture and is typically associated with respect, attentiveness, and honesty.
Americans associate direct eye contact with forthrightness and trustworthiness.
Across all cultures, communicators and leaders become successful because they observe the unconscious actions of others.
Individual’s actions are the result of their culture, upbringing and emotions and smart communicators are able to effectively communicate based on their observations.
Oculesics combines the information obtained from eye movements and behaviors with other nonverbal cues such as Haptics, Kinesics, or Olfactics will lend the observer to an accurate portrait of an individual’s behavior.
Oculesics Is a subcategory of kinesics, which covers all body movement as communication.
Interpretations of eye behavior differs across cultures.
Eye contact is valued in many Anglo-Saxon cultures, while in some Latin American cultures, prolonged eye contact can be seen as challenging or too intimate.
Oculesics is fundamental in expressing and interpreting emotions, regulating interactions, and enhancing or undermining spoken messages. It is especially significant in face-to-face and visual media.