What is it, physically or psychologically, that makes direct eye contact so intimate and/or uncomfortable?
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It depends on what’s going on in your head. Some people can stare a at a strangers face and apparently don’t think very much while doing so. Most people start to (subconsciously) analyse the other’s face in order to find out what the other might want to communicate to them. This can feel uncomfortable when you suspect the other of having negative thoughts (eg. judgement) towards you (/ your current behavior). Keep in mind that direct eye contact is usually understood as silent communication, which “forces” us to react (or think about how to react). The harder it is to figure out what the other wants (what the facial expression means or what its message might be), the more work you have to put in the communication, which can cause stress.
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