Overview
- Coverage this week builds a consensus that looking away while speaking has many causes and is not a reliable sign of dishonesty.
- Neuroscience and clinical studies link gaze avoidance to biological mechanisms such as amygdala-driven threat responses in social anxiety and sensory overload in people on the autism spectrum.
- Researchers report that people often avert their eyes as a cognitive strategy to reduce visual input, focus attention, and retrieve memories when answering difficult questions.
- Studies also show skilled deceivers can keep steady eye contact, so experts say gaze must be read alongside tone, facial expression, posture and context rather than used alone to judge truthfulness.
- Because cultural norms vary and misreading gaze can harm people in interviews, courts and everyday interactions, specialists recommend a holistic, empathetic approach and caution against relying on the popular '7% words' claim as proof of meaning.