Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 23, 2026
07:36
Eye Tracking During Visually Situated Language Comprehension: Flexibility and Limitations in Uncovering Visual Context Effects
Published on: November 30, 2018
16.5K
Power Moves Beyond Complementarity: A Staring Look Elicits Avoidance in Low Power Perceivers and Approach in High
Mario Weick1, Cade McCall2, Jim Blascovich3
11 University of Kent, Canterbury, UK.
Personality & Social Psychology Bulletin
|September 15, 2017
Summary
Fleeting power experiences significantly alter responses to staring gazes. Low power individuals tend to avoid, while high power individuals approach, direct eye contact.
Area of Science:
- Social Psychology
- Nonverbal Communication
- Primate Behavior
Background:
- Direct eye-gaze, or staring, is a potent social signal across species.
- Understanding how situational factors influence responses to gaze is crucial for social interaction.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if temporary feelings of power affect spontaneous reactions to direct eye-gaze.
- To determine if individuals with high or low power respond differently to staring.
Main Methods:
- Two experimental studies were conducted.
- Power was manipulated both between- and within-participants.
- Participants' spontaneous approach-avoidance behaviors towards a staring target were measured.
Main Results:
- Low power participants exhibited avoidance tendencies when encountering direct gaze.
- High power participants displayed approach tendencies towards the staring gaze.
- These effects were consistent across different targets and manipulation methods.
Conclusions:
- Power dynamics can override typical complementary responses to social cues like staring.
- Low power individuals may avoid, while high power individuals approach, staring onlookers.
- This suggests power flexibly modulates fundamental social responses to gaze.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:20Frustration and Conflict: Approach-Approach, Approach-Avoidance
574
Frustration occurs when people are obstructed or prevented from achieving a desired goal or fulfilling a perceived need. For example, when someone's input is ignored in a discussion, it can lead to feelings of frustration. Conflict, however, arises from opposing interests, goals, or actions. Conflicts can take various forms based on the nature of these opposing desires or goals.
One common type of conflict is the Approach–Approach Conflict. In this case, a person faces two desirable...
One common type of conflict is the Approach–Approach Conflict. In this case, a person faces two desirable...
574
01:14Frustration and Conflict: Avoidance-Avoidance, Double-Approach Avoidance
718
Avoidance-avoidance conflict refers to a psychological situation where a person must choose between two or more unpleasant alternatives. These conflicts are particularly stressful because neither option is desirable. This dilemma is often expressed in sayings like "caught between a rock and a hard place" or "between the devil and the deep blue sea." For instance, individuals who fear dental procedures may find themselves torn between enduring a painful toothache or facing the...
718
02:09Bystander Effect
10.3K
The discussion of bullying highlights the problem of witnesses not intervening to help a victim. This is a common occurrence, as the following well-publicized event demonstrates. In 1964, in Queens, New York, a 19-year-old woman named Kitty Genovese was attacked by a person with a knife near the back entrance to her apartment building and again in the hallway inside her apartment building. When the attack occurred, she screamed for help numerous times and eventually died from her stab wounds.
10.3K
02:12Relationship Formation
46.3K
What do you think is the single most influential factor in determining with whom you become friends and whom you form romantic relationships? You might be surprised to learn that the answer is simple: the people with whom you have the most contact. This most important factor is proximity. You are more likely to be friends with people you have regular contact with. For example, there are decades of research that shows that you are more likely to become friends with people who live in your dorm,...
46.3K
01:23Factors Influencing Attraction III: Similarity
848
The similarity hypothesis suggests that individuals are more likely to form relationships with others who share similar attitudes, beliefs, values, and interests. This concept has been widely studied in social psychology, demonstrating that perceived similarity fosters interpersonal attraction. In an experiment supporting this hypothesis, participants were presented with fabricated information indicating that strangers held attitudes similar to their own. The results showed that participants...
848
01:25Understanding Interpersonal Attraction
361
Interpersonal attraction is a fundamental psychological phenomenon influencing human relationships across various contexts. It refers to one person's positive feelings or interests toward another, serving as the foundation for friendships, romantic partnerships, familial bonds, and professional relationships. The nature of interpersonal attraction extends beyond romantic connections, shaping interactions in both short-term and long-term social engagements.Psychological Foundations of...
361