In the eye of the beholder: eye contact increases resistance to persuasion.
Popular belief holds that eye contact increases the success of persuasive communication, and prior research suggests that speakers who direct their gaze more toward their listeners are perceived as more persuasive. In contrast, we demonstrate that more eye contact between the listener and speaker during persuasive communication predicts less attitude change in the direction advocated. In Study 1, participants freely watched videos of speakers expressing various views on controversial sociopolitical issues. Greater direct gaze at the speaker's eyes was associated with less attitude change in the direction advocated by the speaker. In Study 2, we instructed participants to look at either the eyes or the mouths of speakers presenting arguments counter to participants' own attitudes. Intentionally maintaining direct eye contact led to less persuasion than did gazing at the mouth. These findings suggest that efforts at increasing eye contact may be counterproductive across a variety of persuasion contexts.
1Department of Psychology, Laboratory for Biological and Personality Psychology, University of Freiburg.
Frances S
FS
Chen
Julia A
JA
Minson
Maren
M
Schöne
Markus
M
Heinrichs
D000328:Adult; D001290:Attitude; D005123:Eye; D053483:Eye Movement Measurements; D005133:Eye Movements / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D010565:Persuasive Communication; D012938:Social Perception; D055815:Young Adult
attitudes; conflict; eye contact; eye movements; face perception; face processing; persuasion; social interaction