Looking to Connect: The Effects of Sustained Silent Eye-Contact on Social Connection and Depolarization in Dissenting Dyads

Political and social polarization is a growing concern globally. While traditional depolarization strategies emphasize verbal dialogue, there are indications that eye contact without further conversation may already foster interpersonal connection. This study investigates whether five minutes of silent eye contact between individuals holding opposing views can increase perceived understanding and social attraction, and promote willingness to interact. We conducted a between-subjects, multilevel experiment with 76 unacquainted dyads assigned to one of three conditions: 1) standard videoconferencing, 2) Eye-Catcher: a tool enabling direct eye contact online, or 3) face-to-face (FtF). This design allowed us to separate the effects of eye contact (present in Eye-Catcher and FtF) from physical copresence (unique to FtF). Participants were informed they would engage in a five-minute eye contact task with someone holding opposing views on salient political topics (e.g., immigration). Pre- and post-interaction questionnaires assessed participant perceptions. Interactions were video-recorded and coded for nonverbal behaviors. Results showed no support for the hypotheses that sustained eye contact, controlling for copresence, would reduce perceived disagreement and increase understanding and social connection. However, across all conditions, perceived disagreement decreased post-interaction, driven by the belief that the other person had shifted their stance. Moreover, social attraction increased after the wordless interaction, especially in the FtF condition. Contrary to expectations, willingness to interact slightly declined post-interaction in all conditions. Behaviorally, only head nodding differed between conditions, being more frequent FtF. Notably, smiling positively predicted both social attraction and willingness to interact. Together, these findings suggest that eye contact and copresence can influence interpersonal dynamics in the context of disagreement.