TABLE 4.1 THE POWER OF EYE CONTACT
| Function of Eye Contact | Image | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Influences attitude change |  | Looking at someone to get the person to trust you or comply with your wishes © ACE STOCK LIMITED/Alamy |
| Indicates a degree of arousal |  | Glancing across a crowded room to signal attraction or interest; looking at a customer attentively in the interest of receiving positive evaluation John Henley/Getty Images |
| Expresses emotion |  | Soft eyes of loving looks; frightened eyes of a startled person; hard eyes of an angry person Vladimir Godnik/Getty Images |
| Regulates interaction |  | Looking more at a conversational partner when listening; regulating eye contact to assume or give up the speaking role (Wiemann & Knapp, 1999) © Image Source/Alamy |
| Indicates power |  | Direct, prolonged gaze to convey dominance; avoidance of eye contact to signal submissiveness (Burgoon & Dunbar, 2006) ColorBlind Images/Getty Images |
| Forms impressions |  | Making eye contact with an audience to communicate confidence and sincerity Frank Herholdt /Getty Images |
Source: Leathers (1986). Adapted with permission.