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Eye direction provides powerful social information. Research has found that direct gaze can influence how people evaluate faces and can increase attention toward them. The effect depends on context and isn't identical for everyone, but eye contact can change how a face is perceived even when nothing else about it changes.
Human brains are exceptionally sensitive to where other people are looking. This sensitivity begins remarkably early in life. Sometimes, the eyes change the impression of an entire face.
© Proceedings of the Royal Society B