
Eye Contact in Familiar and Unfamiliar Settings
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Do people make more eye contact with strangers or with people they know? You might think the answer is obvious. A simple observation test can reveal the truth.
You pick two settings. One is a place where people are unlikely to know each other, such as a grocery store or mall. The other is a place where people are more familiar, such as a school or family gathering. In each setting, you watch for three minutes and count how often people make or avoid eye contact.
Repeat for at least 20 trials in each setting and compare the totals.
Hypothesis
The hypothesis is that eye contact is an important part of communication and cooperation.
Method & Materials
You will conduct this experiment in two different settings. Setting A will be in a place where people are not likely to know each other, and Setting B will be in a place where people are likely to know each other. You will observe the number of times people make eye contact or avoid eye contact for three minutes and record your observations.
You will need a stop watch and a data sheet.
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See what’s includedResults
The results of this experiment showed that eye contact is an important part of communication and cooperation. In some cultures, direct eye contact is seen as being disrespectful, while in others, eye contact is valued.
Why do this project?
This science project is interesting because it explores the importance of eye contact in different settings and cultures.
Also Consider
Variations of this experiment could include observing eye contact in different age groups or in different countries.
Full project details
Additional information and source material for this project are available below.Related videos
These videos explain the science behind this project and demonstrate key concepts used in the experiment.
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