Why Meeting Another's Gaze Is So Powerful

You've done it at a job interview. When giving a presentation. While tucking in children at night. Or when sharing a meal with a loved one. The power of eye contact stretches far beyond cinematic romance. A growing body of research from psychologists and neuroscientists find that when we make eye contact with someone, our brains unconsciously kick into overdrive. During this seemingly simple human interaction, our eyes commandeer our attention making us less aware of everything else, BBC Future reports. Direct gaze dives into brain functionality recognizing psychological, emotional and social consciousness in the process. It triggers aspects of social cognition. Even, one might argue, it's a momentary melding of the self and the other. "You've doubtless had the experience when, across a noisy, crowded room, you lock gazes with another person. It's almost like a scene out of the movies," writes Christian Jarrett. Apparently, when we meet another's gaze, there's quite literally a lot more to it than what meets the eye.

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