Prolonged eye contact may imply interest or attraction to the other person. However, it also has its downside; if you are staring at someone for too long, it may come off as creepy and may make the other person feel uncomfortable. Prolonged eye contact may indicate different emotions.
If you notice he is making more eye contact with you or you catch a guy staring at you, he is probably attracted to you. He may be enthralled by your good looks and may be fantasizing about kissing you. Perhaps he stares at you and smiles; that could mean he likes you, too.
Repeated eye contact
They may make a mental note of who you're talking to or what your body language portrays in order to better approach you. This generally suggests an interest in you, and if it's from someone you vaguely know, might mean they're flirting.
If he keeps looking at you, it means that he wants to know more about you. He's probably wondering what you're like. He's probably wondering how old you are and whether or not you're single and available. Take note of the duration of his glances.
Prolonged eye contact has been thought to release phenylethylamine, a chemical responsible for feelings of attraction. It has also been thought to release oxytocin, the love chemical most closely associated with longer term bonding and commitment.
How long is flirty eye contact? Eye contact that lasts beyond 4-5 seconds can show a person's interest in you and may be perceived as flirty eye contact. To be more sure if the person is really into you, try to find any other cues besides just eye contact that would strengthen your assumption.
When a guy stares into your eyes and doesn't look away, he may be trying to size you up. Intently staring can be a good thing and might mean that he likes what he sees. Research indicates that in many cases of prolonged eye contact, both parties are interested in each other or maybe aroused.
If he's curious to know more about you, he'll generally stare intently at you to indicate his interest. He may also approach and strike up a conversation, asking you thoughtful, open-ended personal questions to get to know you. A truly interested guy also asks follow-up questions to continue the chat.
“If someone secretly likes you, they may tilt their head as you speak, which is a sign of engagement,” Dr. Hafeez shares. They'll turn to you when you speak and will keep their body language open. “Their legs will be crossed in your direction and their arms won't be folded with 'closed' body language,” she adds.
Eye contact can tell you a lot about a person's interest. If a guy is into you, he might try to meet your gaze frequently or for extended periods of time. Eye contact has been connected to the brain's production of oxytocin, a chemical known as the “love hormone”.
Where someone's gaze falls could indicate almost instantly whether attraction is based on feelings of love or of lust. Scientists say if the gaze is focused on a stranger's face, then love is possible, but if the gaze focuses more on the stranger's body, then the attraction is more sexual in nature.
With eye contact, there's a three second rule. If you hold someone's gaze for longer than three seconds, you enter a situation known as "kiss or kill". Longer eye contact signals one of two things - either you are attracted to the person or you want to attack them.
Social anxiety is a common reason why you might feel like people are staring at you all the time. Social anxiety is the fear of being judged or embarrassed in public and can be extremely debilitating.
Smiling and looking at you often is a surefire sign of attraction. When a girl is attracted to you, she'll look at you appreciatively and consciously—hoping you'll notice rather than sneaking glances without really thinking about it. She'll also try to meet your gaze and make eye contact while smiling at you.
If this person is making deep (intimate or extended) eye contact with you, you know you have the green light. They like you, either romantically or as a friend/coworker/etc. Direct eye contact triggers a little hormone called oxytocin that helps us to feel connected and bonded to another person.
Another clear sign he likes you is if he is actively trying to hang out with you, or help you, or find out more about you. There are also indicators like eye contact or compliments, and showing that he's interested in your physical appearance, or who you are as a person.
If the attraction is mutual between you and another person, you'll likely want to talk to each other rather frequently. You may also compliment each other frequently. You might also find yourselves trying to make each other laugh and taking any chance possible to strike up a conversation with the other person.
“Deep eye contact, or holding your gaze for at least four seconds, may indicate feelings of love.” Bonus points if they smile in your presence, too.
Things You Should Know
Look for signs in his body language like eye contact and leaning in towards you while talking. He'll also initiate more physical touch between you. Study his behavior, including the time between text responses and how jealous he seems when other guys are mentioned.
Typically, a guy would stare at you if he has any sort of romantic interest in you. Logically, we do not engage in long stares when there are platonic feelings involved. It usually hints at a feeling of longing. Maybe they yearn to connect with you and talk to you about how they feel and are afraid to do so.
Gaze Is a Potent Social Signal
And, there is ample evidence that gaze is, in fact, arousing. Heart rate and other physiological indicators of heightened arousal levels increase during eye contact in humans as well as in other primates.
If they hold your gaze for a few seconds more than normal, then it could be a sign that they are sexually attracted to you. Research from Frontiers in Psychology illustrates that a partner's direct gaze is often associated with positive feelings, even if it is just a fleeting moment.
If a guy is staring without a smile, it could be that he's simply in a bad mood or dealing with personal issues. His unwarm look your way might not have anything to do with you but is instead a reflection of his emotional state at that moment. Give him some space and try not to take his lack of a smile personally.