Gaze
Erikson discusses gaze as a cue to discomfort, attention, and perceived honesty, while warning that eye contact alone is unreliable.
THE IDEA
Gaze
We use our eyes for many different things. Shifty eyes generally suggest that the person in question would rather be somewhere else. Other people meet your gaze steadily, without even blinking. This creates a totally different impression. It’s said that liars can’t look you in the eye and they often shift their gaze to the side. But since this is commonly known even among liars, the worst of them have learned to stare you straight in the eyes when they are lying. So nothing is that obvious. (Someone who is repeatedly touching his neck is more often an indicator of a liar.) When something is awful or unpleasant, many lift their hands up to their faces. And when you need to think, you often close your eyes for a while.
When to use it
Interviewing a job candidate to assess comfort and honesty.
Negotiating a deal and reading the other party’s reactions.
Detecting deception in personal relationships or high-stakes conversations.
Evaluating a speaker’s confidence during a presentation.
FROM THEORY TO EVERYDAY LIFE
In practice
Shifty eyes
A person with shifty eyes may appear uncomfortable or wanting to leave, but this is not a definitive sign of lying.
Steady gaze
Someone who maintains steady eye contact without blinking can seem trustworthy, yet skilled liars may deliberately do this.
Neck touching
Erikson suggests repeated neck touching as an indicator of deception.
Hands to face
When encountering something awful or unpleasant, people often lift their hands to their faces.
Closing eyes
When needing to think deeply, people often close their eyes for a while.
A MOMENT TO REFLECT
Put it to work.
When have you misjudged someone’s honesty based on their gaze?
How can you apply awareness of gaze biases when negotiating or interviewing?
What are the risks of relying solely on gaze as a truth indicator?
CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION
Source texts
- Surrounded By Idiots (Thomas Erikson)