Evaluation of Gaze Pairs by Female Observers

Abstract

Predictions concerning the formation of impressions on the basis of the visual behavior of an observed person were tested in two experiments. Observers were shown a video recording of a conversation between two persons in which person looked at his or her partner or not depending upon the experimental conditions. In Experiment 1, selected stimulus dimensions of interpersonal gazing-amount of gaze, sexual composition of the interacting pair-were examined for their impact on the observer's evaluations. It was found that observer's evaluations with regard to sincerity, anxiety, and relaxation of a gaze pair were differentially affected by the degree of eye contact between the gaze pair. Experiment 2 examined whether observers would form different perceptions of the same visual dominance ratio according to the sex combination of the gaze pair. Observers viewed videotapes of a person whose visual behavior was systematically varied, apparently conversing with another person of the opposite sex. Male and female stimulus persons displayed three different visual dominance ratios: 60%/40%, 40%/60%, 20%/80%. When female stimulus persons of a gaze pair exhibited the high and moderate look-speak to look-listen ratio they tended to be rated by observers as more dominant than when they exhibited the low ratio. When male stimulus persons of a gaze pair exhibited the moderate ratio they tended to be evaluated as more dominant than when they displayed the high visual dominance ratio. When female stimulus persons of a gaze pair exhibited the high visual dominance ratio they were evaluated as dominant. However, when male stimulus persons of a gaze pair exhibited the high ratio they were evaluated as submissive.