The Importance of Eye Contact

Our relationships are becoming more and more disconnected as we make eye contact with screens more than people.

Earlier this year, a video from the Adweek.com called “Prudential Relationship reconnect in Singapore” went viral regarding relationships. One of the first statements is, "Can simply looking at someone for four minutes improve your relationship?" During the next four minutes, couples from father and daughter, mother and son, sisters, young and old couples stare at each other for four minutes.

At first, one husband said, “four minutes is too long." Saying this showed that eye contact with his wife was almost too awkward for him to handle. With grace, however, his wife responded, “Patience.” In another frame, one woman said concerning her sister, “So many years, we have never look each other in the eyes. We used to talk, but you know, not for so long."

At the end of the video, the couples were thankful for the experience. The other sister said, “I can see that she cares for me very much, she loves me very much, and I think that I the most important thing.”

The commercial is geared towards audiences purchasing life insurance, therefore, emphasizing the importance that life insurance has to protect the loved ones in your life.

"Your relationships are precious. Protect them,” the commercial stated.

However, I think there is a different message as well: eye contact is important.

Our eyes send messages. Our messages can either be helpful or hurtful. Our eyes can communicate love or even longing for a person. However, they can also do the opposite and show judgment or disdain when you shift your eyes away from them. As a result, people may deem you untrustworthy if you avoid eye contact.

According to an article titled, In your eyes : the power of eye contact is one of life’s enduring mysteries, eye contact is vital to the development of relationships with others.

“We can convey that we’re here, that we’re interested and that we value the person we’re within this precious moment,” the article stated.

Now, I am not saying you should stare at a friend or family member for four full minutes. (Please don’t.) However, the message in the video was clear, relationships are precious, and eye contact is a critical component of the depth and health of those relationships.

What messages are your eyes sending?