A-Z Popular Blog Nonverbal Comm Search »
Nonverbal Communication
 Advertisements
Related Guides
Nonverbal Communication
top   »  talent   »  skills   »  soft skills   »  eye contact

Why Eye Contact Is Considered A Skill

 , updated on
Eye contact is a social signal that's an important component of communication.
Humans naturally respond to eye contact and it has communication significance in every culture. The most basic effect of eye contact is that it shows that you are engaged with a conversation. People typically interpret the direction of your gaze as the direction of your attention. In the midst of conversation, glancing down or off into the distance is often interpreted as a signal that you're thinking.
People commonly describe a sense that they can read a person's thoughts or character by looking in their eyes. As such, avoiding eye contact is sometimes interpreted as an attempt to hide something. However, avoiding eye contact is also a signal that you don't feel like talking. For example, someone who is late for a meeting might avoid eye contact as they walk down a hallway to avoid initiating a conversation.
In crowded conditions such as trains, people may pretend to look at something such as a mobile device as a means of avoiding eye contact. This is a way to maintain a sense of privacy and personal space.
Overview: Eye Contact
Type
Soft Skills
Definition
Using eye contact to send social signals and to communicate.
Value
Showing that you're listening.
Expressing things such as emotions non-verbally.
Building rapport.
Related Concepts
Active Silence
Next: Body Language
More about non-verbal communication:
Active Silence
Body Language
Civil Inattention
Communication
Silence
Social Cues
If you enjoyed this page, please consider bookmarking Simplicable.
 
Cite »

Nonverbal Communication

A definition of nonverbal communication with examples.

Silence

The common types of silence.

Civil Inattention

The definition of civil inattention with examples.

Social Cues

An overview of common social cues with examples.

Body Language

An overview of body language with examples.

Communication Context

The definition of communication context with examples.

Group Communication

An overview of group communication with examples.

Communication Analysis

An overview of communication analysis with examples.

Communication Behaviors

A list of common communication behaviors.

Presentation Skills

An overview of basic and advanced presentation skills with examples.

Business

A list of common business models.

Sales Promotion Examples

An overview of sales promotions with examples.

Price Analysis

An overview of price analysis for purchasing and procurement with examples.

Business Quality

An overview of business quality with examples.

Words To Describe A Company

A vocabulary of unique words for describing a company.

Business Results

A list of common types of business result.

Business Growth Examples

A list of the common types of business growth.

Business Planning

An overview of the different types of business planning.

Business Reputation

An overview of business reputation with examples.

Process Automation

An overview of process automation.

Business Supplies

Lists of various types of business supplies.

Strategic Outcomes

An overview of strategic outcomes with examples.

Trending

The most popular articles on Simplicable in the past day.

New Articles

Recent posts or updates on Simplicable.
Site Map
Creativity
Cultural Capital
Decision Making
Design
Design Thinking
Education
Engineering
Human Experience
Influencing
Interviews
Knowledge
Leadership
Personal Development
Personal Resilience
Problem Solving
Productivity
Professions
Science
Storytelling
Strengths
Systems Thinking
Talent
Thinking
More ...
© 2010-2023 Simplicable. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of materials found on this site, in any form, without explicit permission is prohibited.

View credits & copyrights or citation information for this page.

Home About     Privacy Policy     Cookies Terms of Use     Contact Us Search


Cookies help us deliver our services. You have choices regarding these cookies. Please visit our privacy policy, cookie policy and consent tool to learn more.


Copyright 2002-2024 Simplicable. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, redistributed or translated. Report violations here.