A study from Flinders University found that eye contact combined with looking back at an object is an effective non-verbal communication method. The researchers observed that participants best interpreted requests when a sequence of eye movements included eye contact and gaze shifts to the same object. This method can enhance communication in various social situations, including sports and noisy environments. Findings indicate that even robots can elicit similar responses in individuals through specific gaze behavior, contributing to better non-verbal interactions.
Participants were most likely, and fastest, to perceive a request when eye contact occurred between two averted gaze shifts towards the same object.
We found that it's not just how often someone looks at you, or if they look at you last in a sequence of eye movements, but the context of their eye movements that makes that behaviour appear communicative and relevant.
The team said their findings could be useful for those who want to effectively communicate with others in social contexts that rely on non-verbal communication.
They discovered that people also responded the same way to the gaze behaviour when it was carried out by a robot.
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