#13: The Introvert’s Struggle with Eye Contact
As we’ve already explored in a previous chart, the notion of comfort zones plays a significant role in our social interactions. For introverts, navigating these social waters can be particularly challenging, and one of the key factors exacerbating this difficulty is the issue of eye contact. An inexplicable sense of vulnerability and intimacy is associated with locking eyes with another person, and for some of us, being vulnerable and intimate doesn’t come naturally.
The label “socially awkward” often leads me to avoid direct eye contact. I can easily smile and meet a stranger’s gaze when passing each other in an aisle or waiting at a red light. However, transplant me into a social gathering where mingling is the expectation, and suddenly, my hands and the floor become the most riveting sights in the world!