Eye Body Language: Reading Basic Eye Movements

Reading the eye body language is not without risk. If you can look at someone's eyes, to find what's really on his or her mind, that person can also see your eyes as well.

Most people are concious of this, and will look away when their gaze is caught... Yeah, admit it! You do it too! You, however, will have to overcome that, because you cannot read somebody's eyes, without looking at them.

These are the basic movements of the eye, the classics of eyes body language!

Basic Eye Movements





When someone looks straight ahead to you, this is usually a good sign. After all, most of us will try to catch someone's eyes by looking at him/her to show our interest.

But do consider that people usually also look away as they're processing what you're saying. So, if someone looks right at you, and doesn't look away at all, the message of what you're saying may not even come across. Also, people who are lying are often aware that eye movement may give them away, so they'll look you straight in the eye. And keep looking.

I guess that's why its usually a bit creepy if, that prolonged stare in the eyes.

In short: Straight at you... good, continuous looking without signs of looking away... often not so good, disinterest or lying. Exception: the gaze of 2 people deeply in love.





Looking up is an eye body language sign of thinking. If you're looking to the left as well, you're processing information, and relating it to a past experience or an emotional feeling. If you're talking to this person and you see this eye movement, I think it's a good sign. Some people associate this with lying, but liars usually look straight at you to conceal their lie.

In short: Looking up is thinking, left and up is thinking about experiences and emotions.





Looking to the left is the eye body language usually associated with trying to remember a sound. This one is easy to remember: it's as if she's looking at their ears! As always, you should keep the context of the eye movement in mind: she could also very well see movement in her left eye, or look at the door to get away from you!

In short: Looking at the ears, is remembering a sound. She could also see movement to the left, or checking how to get away from you.





You look to the right and up, if you're trying to remember a recent experience, or you're trying to assess if it's logical what the other person is saying. If you're talking to this person, it's usually a good sign, you have captured her attention.

In short: Up and Right is about remembering recent experiences and thinking logically.





If someone's looking up, he or she is carefully thinking over what you're saying... if this movement is made while arms go up and hands are folded behind the head, that's a particular good sign. If someone glances up for a second or so, while sighing, that could also mean they're looking at the heavens, summoning their God. That's usually not such a good sign.

In short: Up means careful thinking, weighing both emotion and logic... good! Or they're saying "My God!" with their eyes! (not so good!)





Looking down, especially with someone not looking the other person in the eye, is usually associated as submissive (ie. not dominant) eye body language. So, that person may not be very comfortable in your presence, or feeling guilty of something. Not engaging in eye contact can also mean disinterest, and a desire to leave. On the other hand, he or she may be just thinking what use your information is.

In short: Constantly looking down signals "Submissive". It could also be that this person feels guilty, not wanting to face you. Or general disinterest. Usually not a good sign.



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