I have heard from multiple people that eye contact is essential in letting a girl (or guy, I guess) know you’re interested.

But what is the 411 when it comes to said eye contact? Do you keep looking until she does? Do you then keep staring? Or is like looking at the sun? What’s the deal?

  • callouscomic@lemm.ee
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    2 hours ago

    You know what erases all of this? Just SAYING it. TELL people what you mean and skip all the games.

  • Shardikprime@lemmy.world
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    5 hours ago

    First you need to approach in a non threatening way. Ideally, by shouting “I am bigger and stronger than you! If I wanted you dead, you’d be by now!”

    That way they know you are NOT a threat

    If possible, make them feel secure by brandishing a weapon of any kind. That way they know they WILL be safe near you

  • Allero@lemmy.today
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    3 hours ago

    Honestly? By being genuinely interested in a person and not faking anything.

    Trying to look a certain way nearly always screams fake and uncanny, just show emotions the way you’re used to!

    • JovialMicrobial@lemm.ee
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      30 minutes ago

      As far as I know I’m not autistic, but hate eye contact and just kinda decided to not worry about it? Eye contact is cultural anyway, and in some countries it’s unusual or rude so I guess I just decided it’s not that important to me. That’s one option!

      But for practical advice on improving if that’s what you want to strive for I find it’s easier to practice with someone you’re comfortable with. Looking between their eyes while talking casually. Not like staring, but reminding yourself to look up occasionally during conversation. And increasing the length of time you hold eye contact until it’s uncomfortable and look away. It’ll become more natural to you over time :)

      There’s also videos available on YouTube that are for practicing eye contact but I found them creepy. My mistake was probably smoking weed beforehand, so maybe don’t do that!

      Best of luck to you!

  • finitebanjo@lemmy.world
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    18 hours ago

    You look them deep in the center of their eyes and breath deep and smile and then you use your fucking words to tell them.

    There is an evolutionary trait that checks potential partners for eye dilation after prolonged eye contact, supposedly to check for defects, but all it does is a little Seratonin so it’s useless in a world of rational choice.

  • greedytacothief@lemmy.world
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    23 hours ago

    So I think the question could be refined a little. Eye contact helps build connection between people, but it’s not the only piece of the puzzle. Maybe a better question is “'How do I communicate more empathetically?”

    There’s another question; “How do I let someone know I’m interested?” This question is related to the first in that trying to get close to another person (being vulnerable with each other) and communicating your feelings is how you let someone know your interested.

    TLDR: get to know them and tell them you’re interested. If they say they’re not interested you can probably still be friends since you already got to know each other. Empathy and humility/vulnerability are key in building relationships.

    • steeznson@lemmy.world
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      15 hours ago

      Yeah people like it when you take a genuine interest in them so asking about their hobbies and passions is also a good way to flirt. Basically you are trying to give the other person the sense that you are equal parts interested and impressed by them.

      Edit: Been with my wife for 13 years now so this is probably bad advice for youngsters. These days they likely stare at their phones and send aubergine emojis to each other while sitting 2 feet away

      • greedytacothief@lemmy.world
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        13 hours ago

        I’m not yet 30 and I think it’s good applicable advice. I think you can actually practice a lot of these skills by making friends. The difference between romantic and platonic isn’t that big.

  • Maxxie@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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    18 hours ago

    It’s all vibes. There is no cheat code, you just have to grok social ques by spending lots of time with people. Put your 10000 hours in, its worth it people are fascinating.

  • ngn@lemmy.ml
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    24 hours ago

    bro the last paragraph makes you sound like an ailen trying to mimic humans ngl

  • occultist8128@infosec.pub
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    16 hours ago

    sometimes i keep looking until she does, sometimes i keep staring at her. it doesn’t matter, based on the condition

  • RememberTheApollo_@lemmy.world
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    23 hours ago

    It’s not just eye contact, there’s all the rest of it too including other body language and how you’re speaking to someone.

    That said, I used to occasionally hang with a guy that chased all the girls (the kind of guy that would ignore you as soon as a girl he could be interested in showed up) and he would all but stare at her in conversation. Made me uncomfortable by proxy, lol. Seemed effective, but that’s what he did.

  • Lyre@lemmy.ca
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    1 day ago

    In her book “How to talk to anyone” Leil Lowndes suggests that when speaking with women it’s best to maintain constant, unbroken eye contact to signal attention and interest. She goes on to note that even when engaged in conversation with multiple people one should act as if their eyes are constantly glued to the woman, only briefly looking away when another person is speaking and behaving as if your eyes are irresistibly drawn back to the woman of interest. She believes this formula is best in male to female conversations and female to female conversation.

    By contrast, she notes that when engaged in a male to male conversation, one should regularly break eyecontact as not to be perceived as a threat. However, one should still act as if your eyes are being irresistibly drawn back to theirs.

    … I have no idea what Lowndes’s qualifications are and frankly this sounds like a formula written by an alien trying to understand humans but hey maybe theres some merrit to it idk

    • Tiefling IRL@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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      1 day ago

      She goes on to note that even when engaged in conversation with multiple people one should act as if their eyes are constantly glued to the woman, only briefly looking away when another person is speaking and behaving as if your eyes are irresistibly drawn back to the woman of interest.

      Honestly, as a woman, if a man started doing this to me in a group I’d be freaked the fuck out

      • Vanth@reddthat.com
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        1 day ago

        Yep. As if women would never perceive men as a threat based on the same signals men would use to perceive threat.

        Men, logical and hunter warrior manly men. Women, attention seekers. Therefore, stare down pretty women to show manly manness.

        Alpha bro evo psych is so wild.

        • finitebanjo@lemmy.world
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          18 hours ago

          Yeah but due to conditioning from many generations of patriarchy, the man being perceived as a threat might actually help his chances. A disproportionately high ratio of women seem to enjoy threatening sexual partners.

          If getting laid is the only goal, the male has more to fear from not trying than fear of rejection. That and pepper spray.

        • intensely_human@lemm.ee
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          1 day ago

          Jesus christ dude

          She goes on to note that even when engaged in conversation with multiple people one should act as if their eyes are constantly glued to the woman

    • AstralPath@lemmy.ca
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      1 day ago

      Kinda sounds like it would be the same kind of thing that brought forth the whole “alpha male” thing.

      • Lyre@lemmy.ca
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        1 day ago

        I got that vibe throughout the entire book. It really smelled to me of someone trying to justify their own success when in reality she was probably just born with the right connections.

    • OutlierBlue@lemmy.ca
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      1 day ago

      Okay but where’s the line between “unbroken eye contact to signal attention and interest” and just being a creepy stalker?

      • NeoNachtwaechter@lemmy.world
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        24 hours ago

        the line between […] just being a creepy stalker?

        Depends mainly on your own looks, and a little bit on the question if she’s already into you:

        Are you closer to George Clooney or The Real Life Hunchback?

      • Lyre@lemmy.ca
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        1 day ago

        Well, I got the impression that the author was mostly hanging out in upper class society. So while she’s asserting that these rules are universally applicable, her frame of reference seemed to be mostly talking to people in situations like fundraisers and galas. I imagine she’s operating on a framework of always having some prior knowledge of the people she’s engaging with.

    • Maggoty@lemmy.world
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      1 day ago

      The only community I’ve been in where men constantly break eye contact is the military. And that’s because we were in Iraq and constantly checking out surroundings as we talked. Men are not gorillas. Eye contact is perceived as paying attention to the conversation.

  • pirate-dad@lemmy.world
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    2 days ago

    From my experience, if you make eye contact, look away briefly, then look back. If she’s still looking at you, hold eye contact for a moment and smile. If she likes you, she’ll likely smile back.

    If she’s purposely avoiding making eye contact the second time, don’t be a creep, carry on with your day 👌

    • tired_n_bored@lemmy.world
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      24 hours ago

      No no no. If she’s purposely avoiding eye contact you have to stare at her with wide open eyes and a big smile.

      If she walks away follow her, if she starts running away from you, run after her. She’s telling you to come over.

      That’s how you conquer a woman /s

    • Iamsqueegee
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      1 day ago

      There’s a very thin line between the longing look of admiration and the cold gaze of a serial killer.