Are you looking my way? Ostracism widens the cone of gaze. Issue 8 (3rd August 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lyyra, Pessi; Wirth, James H.; Hietanen, Jari K.
• Is Part Of: Quarterly journal of experimental psychology. Volume 70:Issue 8(2017)
• Page Start: 1713
• Page End: 1721
• Publication Date: 2017-08-03
• Subjects: Cone of gaze -- Eye contact perception -- Gaze perception -- Ostracism; Psychology, Experimental -- Periodicals; Psychophysiology -- Periodicals; Psychology, Comparative -- Periodicals; 150.72405
• DOI: 10.1080/17470218.2016.1204327
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1747-0218

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Ostracized individuals demonstrate an increased need for belonging. To satisfy this need, they search for signals of inclusion, one of which may be another person's gaze directed at oneself. We tested if ostracized, compared to included, individuals judge a greater degree of averted gaze as still being direct. This range of gaze angles still viewed as direct has been dubbed "the cone of (direct) gaze". In the current research, ostracized and included participants viewed friendly-looking face stimuli with direct or slightly averted gaze (0°, 2°, 4°, 6°, and 8° to the left and to the right) and judged whether stimulus persons were looking at them or not. Ostracized individuals demonstrated a wider gaze cone than included individuals.