Body Language of Looking Away
Cue: Looking Away
Synonym(s): Not Maintaining Eye Contact, Roaming Eyes.
Description: When the eyes roam around a room during a conversation or when eye contact would normally be expected to persist.
In One Sentence: Looking away is a sign of concentration, disinterest, submission, or shyness.
How To Use it: Research has shown that looking at someone while they speak makes it far more difficult to concentrate that looking away. Therefore, break eye contact when trying to process complex ideas. When kids look away, also respect their decision as they may be doing so to better process your ideas, than your facial expressions.
In dating, looking away can signal shyness or intimidation. Understanding this can save negative feelings. Women can use looking away to signal their sexual interest in men as it signals coyness. This is especially powerful when eye contact is broken by looking down rather than looking left or right (signals scanning). Men can also indicate interest by shying away from eye contact, however, it is not as constructive when used by men, as women do not usually find submissive men as alluring.
Finally, use looking away as a signal of respect. Research shows that dominant people are more free to make and hold eye contact, especially persistent eye contact. To show your boss that you are willing to follow his lead, break eye contact more often and first. This signal will score points as it indicates a desire to please.
Context: a) General b) Business c) Dating.
Verbal Translation: a) b) “I’m thinking about something and need to concentrate which is why I’m not taking in any more visual cues from you at this time.” a) b) c) “I’m disinterested in what you are saying and trying to find an escape route or something more interesting to look at.” c) “I’m intimidated by your dominance, intimidated by your beauty, or repulsed by you. This is why I can’t keep my eyes on you.”
Variant: See Eye Aversion, Gaze Avoidance and Wandering Eyes, Staring or The Evil Eye.
Cue In Action: a) He frequently broke eye contact to check his watch or the contents of his brief case as the topic of conversation did not excite him. b) While discussing the fine details of the proposal, the junior associate frequently looked away or down to process and contemplate the information.
Meaning and/or Motivation: Not maintaining eye contact is a signal of comfort when done within context as it shows that a person is lacking fear. It frequently shows disrespect, especially during a conversation, as it indicates an aloof attitude. Eyes that look away can be contemplating or processing complex information or seeking escape routes due to boredom. Eyes can also look away because they wish to submit which is more usual for a woman to do when in the presence of a man or when a child is faced with a power authority. Eyes look away when they are repulsed or intimidated by beauty.
Eyes that look away can also be due to fear of aggression such as when faced with a domineering confrontation. A subordinate individual will often make less eye contact than a more dominant one. This indicates a desire to submit.
Eye language is important as it is often more indicative of intent than other body language. Good eye contact significantly improves the chances of making a sale during business, but at worst, helps convey better meaning and understanding.
The most effective use of eye contact is in fleeting glances, which at first might seem counterintuitive. However, prolonged eye contact is seen as rude, untrustworthy, threatening or even aggressive. When eye contact is piercing in a client, it usually means that a sale is being resisted. This is viewed as, “staring you down,” and shows a desire to find flaws in the sales pitch.
Poor eye contact or prolonged periods of looking away means the reverse; indifference or outright disinterest. This is why brief glances followed by looking away, or at the material at hand, is most appropriate in a sale, and when done by a client, the best indication that a sales call is being well received.
Cue Cluster: This particular eye language is dynamic. When someone submits they will avert eyes coupled with closing up their bodies from attack with head lowered, shoulders turned in and taking on a smaller profile. When someone is repulsed or disinterested, eyes will avert coupled with picking lint, checking the contents of bags, reduced agreement indicators, eye rolling, and so forth. Watch for courtship cues to measure interest when eye contact is absent. Coy looks, blushing, grooming postures, head tilt, coupled with averted eyes and cast upward to show sexual interest.
Body Language Category: Arrogance or arrogant body language, Boredom, Disengagement, Escape movements, Eye Language, Indicators of disinterest (IOD), Intention movements, Pensive displays, Rejection body language, Stressful body language, Submissive body language.
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