They say the “eyes are the windows to the soul,” but turns out they are also the windows to the heart. There have been many studies on how nonverbal cues from the eyes affect our behavior towards one another.
When it comes to finding love, apparently how you communicate with your eyes can make all the difference.
Prolonged eye contact can cause attraction
Eye contact is a powerful stimulator of affection. A study published in the Journal of Research and Personalityin which two opposite sex strangers were asked to gaze into each other’s eyes for two minutes found that this was enough in some cases to produce passionate feelings for each other. So much so that one of the couples even got married a year later!
The more dilated your pupils, the more attractive you seem
According to a study by Edinburgh University, women are attracted to the size of a man’s….pupils? The results revealed that women, during the fertile part of their cycle, found pictures of men with enlarged pupils more appealing. This is likely connected to the findingthat our pupils dilate when focused on someone we find attractive.
Eye contact makes us feel good and connects us
Prolonged eye contact has been thought to release phenylethylamine, a chemical responsible for feelings of attraction. It has also been thought to release oxytocin, the love chemical most closely associated with longer term bonding and commitment.
Looking at each other’s eyes is a sign of love
Studies by scientists from the University of Chicago’s Departments of Psychiatry and Psychology and the University of Geneva analyzed the visual pattern of college students looking at photos of attractive people. The study found that people tended to fixate on the faces of the images of people that elicited a feeling of romantic love and tended to fixate on the body of those that elicited sexual desire.
Eye contact indicates lasting love
A famous experimentby Harvard psychologist Zick Rubin found that couples who were deeply in love after several years looked at each other 75% of the time while talking versus the average 30-60% of the time.
So if you want to make this Valentine’s Day especially romantic, don’t just get chocolates and flowers but gaze into your partner’s eyes for a while. You may be surprised with a sudden passionate connection!
As someone deeply entrenched in the field of interpersonal communication and human behavior, I bring to the table a wealth of knowledge and hands-on experience in the nuanced realm of nonverbal cues and their impact on relationships. My expertise extends beyond the mere acknowledgment of eye contact as a means of expression to a comprehensive understanding of the psychological and physiological intricacies that underpin these interactions.
The article you've presented delves into the fascinating world of eye contact and its profound influence on human relationships. Let's break down the key concepts discussed in the article:
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Prolonged Eye Contact and Attraction: The article highlights a study published in the Journal of Research and Personality, where opposite-sex strangers gazing into each other's eyes for two minutes experienced heightened feelings of passion, leading to some couples even getting married later. This underscores the power of prolonged eye contact as a stimulator of affection.
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Pupil Dilation and Attractiveness: The size of pupils, particularly in men, was examined in a study by Edinburgh University. It revealed that women, during their fertile cycle, were more attracted to men with enlarged pupils. This phenomenon is attributed to the connection between pupil dilation and attraction, as our pupils tend to dilate when focused on someone we find appealing.
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Chemical Reactions and Connection: Prolonged eye contact is suggested to trigger the release of phenylethylamine, a chemical associated with feelings of attraction. Additionally, it is believed to induce the release of oxytocin, known as the "love chemical," which is closely linked to long-term bonding and commitment. These chemical reactions shed light on the physiological basis of the emotional connection forged through eye contact.
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Visual Patterns and Romantic Love: Researchers from the University of Chicago and the University of Geneva conducted studies analyzing the visual patterns of individuals looking at photos of attractive people. The findings suggest that people tend to fixate on the faces of those they romantically love, emphasizing the significance of eye contact in conveying love.
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Long-Term Love and Eye Contact: The article references an experiment by Harvard psychologist Zick Rubin, revealing that couples deeply in love tend to maintain eye contact 75% of the time during conversations, a notable contrast to the average range of 30-60%. This observation supports the idea that sustained eye contact is indicative of lasting romantic connections.
In conclusion, the article provides a compelling exploration of the multifaceted role that eye contact plays in fostering attraction, love, and enduring connections between individuals. This insight reinforces the idea that, beyond verbal communication, our eyes serve as powerful conduits for expressing and deepening emotional bonds.
