eye contact

a direct look exchanged between two people who are interacting. Maintaining eye contact is considered essential to communication between therapist and client during face-to-face interviews. Social psychological studies of eye contact generally find that people look more at the other person when listening to that person than when they themselves are talking; that people tend to avoid eye contact when they are embarrassed; and that the more intimate the relationship, the greater the eye contact. Also called mutual gaze.

Browse dictionary by letter

a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

Psychology term of the day

February 25th 2025

psychomimic syndrome

a condition in which an individual who lacks physical evidence of an illness develops symptoms of an illness experienced by another person, who may have died of the disorder. The symptoms usually occur around the anniversary of the death of the other person. See also anniversary reaction.