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Eye Contact Will Influence Man-Machine Interaction

Posted by CowboyNeal on from the no-one-talk-to-me-or-look-at-me dept.

atari_kid writes "ScienceDaily is running a story about a researcher findings on the importance of eye contact in group communications. More importantly, the findings show how the amount of eye contact one receives in a group will effect the number of turns one can take in a discussion. What is interesting about the study his how it will effect the design of the future communication devices, like for example: 'Collaborative Virtual Environments (CVEs) which support communication between people and machines.' The research findings will be also used to facilitate user interactions with devices like PDA's and cell phones. I wonder if the findings could explain why the 'beautiful people' have such influence on the mass media."

13 of 99 comments (clear)

  1. Wow by Gary+Franczyk · · Score: 5, Funny

    Does this mean Xeyes will actually have a useful function?

    It's the future of computing!

  2. Improved!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Funny

    What do Linux hippies use for birth control?

    A) Nothing, kleenex don't get pregnant

    B) Their personalities

    C) Whatever it is, their mom should have used it.

    There's no wrong answer!!!

  3. Other interesting findings... by David+Wong · · Score: 5, Funny

    A University of Chicago study in 1994 found that the quality of a woman's interaction with a group of males can be measured by the amount of eye contact with her breasts.

    --
    Phallic Symbols in LOTR
    1. Re:Other interesting findings... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      Evolution should have put women's eyes on their breasts, so we can make eye contact there.

    2. Re:Other interesting findings... by Subcarrier · · Score: 2, Funny

      I remember any number of studies reporting that in univeristy classes, men talked far more and were more likely to interrupt, not just each other but more so female students, and also female instructors.

      This is a social safeguard often employed by men of above average intelligence when confronted by breasts. The babbling is a desperate attempt to keep the higher cognitive functions going while the blood is rushing the other way. Even so, we often fail, as witnessed by the occasional glazed eyes and hanging yaw.

      --
      "I have opinions of my own, strong opinions, but I don't always agree with them." -- George H. W. Bush
  4. Beautiful people by Dog+and+Pony · · Score: 5, Funny

    I wonder if the findings could explain why the 'beautiful people' have such influence on the mass media."

    No, they have this influence because your hormones tell you that if you pay attention, you might be allowed to mate with the alpha male/female.

    Sadly, they are wrong. :)

  5. Wow, anyone... by C0LDFusion · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...ever see Blade Runner? Coming soon! Brand new Voight-Kampf machines to use your eyes to test your emotional responses.

    --
    Only in slashdot are posts of solidarity modded at -1 Redundant, while posts of antagonism are modded as -1 Flamebait.
  6. enhanced eye contact v.1.0 by Bloody+Bastard · · Score: 2, Funny

    I need a software to improve my eye contact performance!

  7. Earlier results by Waffle+Iron · · Score: 4, Funny
    We shouldn't forget the pioneering research in this field done by N. Kruschev, who discovered in the 1960s that one of the most effective ways to garner attention at a large meeting is to take off your shoe and bang it angrily on the table.

    Even though his method is much more effective than eye contact, it is rarely used today.

  8. Ok, I don't get it, my PDA and cell phone . . . by kfg · · Score: 5, Funny

    already obey my every whim when I interact with them. They are my virtual comunications slaves.

    Why, I can literally * push their buttons* and they respond as I will, when I will them too.

    Frankly I find the idea of having to make "eye contact" with an inanimate object kind of creepy.

    I can just see it now, I've made "eye contact" with a sweet young thing, she turns out to be compliant, we handshake, interface and we're just about to get to the good parts involving "sockets" when she "makes eye contact" ( today's catch phrase for "look at") with me and says:

    "Not in front of the phone. I can't do it with someone watching."

    KFG

  9. Uh-oh.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    So, when are they gonna build the first robot who takes notice of eye contact?

    Man: Robot! Clean my dishes.

    Robot: My function is not cleaning, master.

    Man: Oh! Mr. Robot is too important for cleaning now! *rolls eyes*

    Robot: Must.. kill... humans...

  10. Old Eye Contact Joke by cowboy+junkie · · Score: 3, Funny

    "They say you should make eye contact with a woman you're interested in. Well, there's a fine line between eye contact and the piercing stare of a psychopath."

  11. Scientists discover the freakin' obvious by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Scientists discover eye contact! News at eleven!

    Nerds on Slashdot given another opportunity to wallow in self-pity by railing against the "beautiful people"!