[emerald sea]

Some people shrink from making eye contact in general, because it feels too intimidating. Others usually do not fear eye contact, but may be reticent some of the time. Specific emotions, lacking social confidence, fear of disclosure of the soul, another's probing gaze, romantic shyness, or other factors may prevent anyone from looking into someone else's eyes.

I'm curious if eye contact habits are at all related to MBTI type, so I'm posting this on various forums here. :)

1. Is eye contact comfortable for you in general?

2. What would make you avoid eye contact with someone temporarily? What conditions? What feelings? What people?

3. What would make you always avoid eye contact with a specific person?

[Rainbow]

I don't place much importance on eye contact and don't see why I should look into someone else's eyes in any planned way.

[WickedQueen]

I like to look at people's eyes when I talk to them. For me, eye contact represent attention and intense.

My friends said my eyes look scary when I'm angry, though. Most of them automatically avoid my angry eyes, as their reflex. I choose this avatar because she has my intense eyes when I'm angry.

[Marlowe]

1. Is eye contact comfortable for you in general?

Yes. I'm known for having excellent eye contact when I talk to people.

2. What would make you avoid eye contact with someone temporarily? What conditions? What feelings? What people?

The only time I'm bothered is when I'm speaking to someone who is wearing sunglasses in a setting that does not require them. I like to see people's eyes when I talk to them. When I'm faced with black, reflective lens-ware, I get the distinct feeling I do not have their full attention and they are not interested in mine.

I usually ask them to remove their sunglasses, though, resolving the problem.

Other than that, don't struggle with eye contact. It doesn't matter who it is, their level of authority, or how I feel about them.

3. What would make you always avoid eye contact with a specific person?

Nothing.

[Yervor]

I generally only make eye contact with people who I'm genuinely interested in. No point in pretending that I care about what someone is saying. I don't like making eye contact with authority and people who are there to tell me what to do - it's a bit intimidating and I want to acknowledge them as little as possible. I also don't make eye contact when someone is annoying me or when I am lying; this is usually when I am giving feedback, when I find myself telling them that their work is fine when it's actually horrible.

The people who I always share eye contact with are my closest friends and anyone I'm attracted to. Again, it shows that I care about them and that I enjoy their company and communication. And it's nice knowing people's eye colors ^^

[progBOT]

1. Is eye contact comfortable for you in general?
Yes. I always make eye contact when talking to people. I even make eye contact when passing people on the street. I usually feel like someone isn't self-confident or they don't respect me when they don't make eye contact (depending on body language).

2. What would make you avoid eye contact with someone temporarily? What conditions? What feelings? What people?
If I can tell that I'm making someone feel uncomfortable (usually when I am just passing people on the street).
If I'm really pissed off at someone, it would make me more mad to look at them, so I will generally look past them.
Same thing applies for me with the intense stare when I'm mad and the sunglasses making me uncomfortable.

3. What would make you always avoid eye contact with a specific person?
If I couldn't stand a certain person and I know that eye contact provokes conversation, I simply won't look at them to avoid a conversation. If I do need to look at them or I end up having to speak with them, I make eye contact like always.

[Airy]

1. Is eye contact comfortable for you in general?
Very. It saddens me that there's this 'it's rude to look at people' atmosphere on public transport =(.

2. What would make you avoid eye contact with someone temporarily? What conditions? What feelings? What people?
When I'm thinking I tend to look away or even when listening. I'll look at the person if I find them particularly interesting that I just have to sort of stare at them and absorb the visual detail. I'd avoid temporarily if I'm really bored and don't care too much as coming off as uncaring (usually the intention anyway).

3. What would make you always avoid eye contact with a specific person?
If the person seems very shady/ aggressive/ super prejudiced and eye contact could lead to unpleasant experiences.

[Lorelai]

Oh man, eye contact is so hard for me sometimes! If I'm romantically interested in someone it takes everything in me not to look down at my feet! I'm usually very nervous and fumbly (if that's a word, lol) when in the presence of people who have a high level of authority. And oddly enough, a lot of the men I'm attracted to are in some kind of position of authority so it's a double whammy for me! If I sense another sweet NF in that person then I immediately feel comfortable and can blab on and on and on and eye contact does not become a problem. Actually, back in highschool and my first year of college, I was the girl who walked down the hall with my binder pressed up against my chest lol, not because I had low self esteem but I just seemed to be afraid of the world, I guess! But I dated this guy in highschool, that taught me that looking people in the eye is key, apparently it shows self confidence...He stressed the importance of this and so I was able to develop the ability to just look anyone in the eye, but little do they know that I'm shaking on the inside! This isn't always the case of course, my boss is an ENTJ, but also happens to be super sweet and a really reasonable guy and I have no problem looking him in the eye...I just don't want to screw up when he's around! lol....So, it depends on the repoire I build with the individual. Oh, and for the record, I consider myself a pretty confident girl with a whole lot of self respect, so that isn't an issue...I think I just have a naturally submissive personality and don't try to be dominant in most situations and eye contact just seems to be a part of that...at least to me it seems that way.

Okay, so let's recap here...
1. No, I'm not comfortable with eye contact
2. Things that would make me avoid eye contact = being romantically interested in someone (usually ESTJs! Damn them! lol) or if I knew the person hated me for some reason, then I wouldn't want to look at them AT ALL!
3. What would ALWAYS make me avoid eye contact? Pretty much what I said for #2....

[CasualFriday]

Yeah, major starring problem here.

BUT
I'm a super private person.
I worry if I look into their eyes too long they will "see through me" and ..."read my soul" and that would totally suck for me.

I have no issue with eye contact with ESTJ's because
1. first off, they can't even begin to read souls.
2. I feel the need to give them respect as authority figures in my presence.
3. The mix between being super confident and super submissive = my starring problem

[WickedQueen]

I have no issue with eye contact with ESTJ's because
1. first off, they can't even begin to read souls.

This made me chuckle.

We probably can't read your soul, but we're good at reading your body language, even the subtle ones. ;)