Eye contact

[1] In people, eye contact is a form of nonverbal communication and can have a large influence on social behavior.

Coined in the early to mid-1960s, the term came from the West to often define the act as a meaningful and important sign of confidence and respect.

[5] In the process of civil inattention, strangers in close proximity, such as a crowd, avoid eye contact in order to help maintain their privacy.

[7] A recent British study in the Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience found that face recognition by infants was facilitated by direct gaze.

In the 2000s, studies suggest that eye contact has a positive impact on the retention and recall of information and may promote more efficient learning.

[12][13][14] In a 2001 study conducted in Germany examining German infants during their first 12 weeks of life, researchers studied the relationship between eye contact, maternal sensitivity, and infant crying to attempt to determine if eye contact and maternal sensitivity were stable over time.

[20] Nevertheless, the seeking of constant unbroken eye contact by the other participant in a conversation can often be considered overbearing or distracting by many even in Western cultures, possibly on an instinctive or subconscious level.

In traditional Islamic theology, it is often generally advised to lower one's gaze when looking at other people in order to avoid sinful sensuous appetites and desires.

Excessive eye contact or "staring" is also sometimes described as impolite, inappropriate, or even disrespectful, especially between youths and elders or children and their parents, and so lowering one's gaze when talking with older people is seen as a sign of respect and reverence.

Japanese children are taught in school to direct their gaze at the region of their teacher's Adam's apple or tie knot.

[24] According to a report in The New Zealand Medical Journal,[25] maintaining eye contact is one reason young children may be more likely to fall victim to dog attacks.

On the other hand, extended eye contact between a dog and its owner modulates[specify] the secretion of oxytocin, a neuromodulator that is known for its role in maternal-infant bonding.