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Learn to decode human emotions with ‘The Magic Gaze

The book provides practical guidance on interpreting nonverbal signals and understanding micro-expressions, cultural influences, and deception detection. It enhances emotional awareness, empathy, and interpersonal effectiveness through hands-on exercises and real-world applications.

Eyes on the prize: Decoding eye contact

Researchers found that specific gaze sequences, including looking at an object and making eye contact, are crucial for effective communication. This discovery has implications for social robot development and non-verbal communication training.

Garmin GPSMAP 67i with inReach

Garmin GPSMAP 67i with inReach provides rugged GNSS navigation, satellite messaging, and SOS for backcountry geology and climate field teams.

Challenging long-held beliefs about eye contact in autistic children

A groundbreaking study reveals that autistic children exhibit social attention patterns similar to their typically developing peers during play, with a primary focus on toys rather than faces. This challenges the longstanding assumption that reduced eye contact is a definitive marker of autism.

Why are dog breeds with innate diseases popular?

Research found that flat-faced dog enthusiasts tend to be sociable, empathetic, and unaware of the dogs' health signals, considering health problems as normal breed characteristics. This study highlights the need to educate dog owners about the importance of health issues being abnormal and unacceptable.

Synchronizing to a beat predicts how well you get ‘in sync’ with others

A new study published in Scientific Reports found that individuals who synchronize their pupil dilation patterns to a simple rhythmic beat also exhibit higher levels of synchrony with other minds, such as attending to the same story. This suggests an underlying mechanism uniting different forms of synchrony.

Apple iPhone 17 Pro

Apple iPhone 17 Pro delivers top performance and advanced cameras for field documentation, data collection, and secure research communications.

Don’t look at me like that!

A new study has decoded information about how we process gazes and facial expressions, revealing that emotional expressions of faces significantly impact our attention. The results show that faces showing joy or anger attract attention when looking directly at the observer, while disgusted faces with an averted gaze do the opposite.

Hand signals help overcome Zoom fatigue in online meetings

A study published in PLOS One found that using hand signals, such as waving or raising a hand to show empathy, can improve communication and social connection in online meetings. The research team trained participants to use these gestures, which led to better interaction, increased feelings of closeness, and improved learning outcomes.

Meta Quest 3 512GB

Meta Quest 3 512GB enables immersive mission planning, terrain rehearsal, and interactive STEM demos with high-resolution mixed-reality experiences.

The language of the eyes

A study by Dr. Fuhimiro Kano and colleagues found that humans can distinguish gaze directions from each other more accurately than chimpanzees, particularly in challenging conditions. The researchers used computerized tasks to present images of human and chimpanzee eyes to both species, with white sclera in the chimpanzee eye improving...

Face masks impair nonverbal communication between individuals

The study found that face masks significantly reduce the ability to recognize facial expressions, with accuracy reductions ranging from 10% for fear to 46% for disgust. Individuals with higher social competence and agreeableness tend to perform better in emotion recognition when faces are masked.

Making (and breaking) eye contact makes conversation more engaging

Research from Dartmouth College reveals that making and breaking eye contact during conversations can create a dynamic balance between shared attention and individual expression. Pupillary synchrony decreases after eye contact breaks, allowing for creativity and new thoughts, while also signaling shared understanding.

Like humans, apes communicate to start and end social interactions

A study published in iScience found that apes purposefully use signals to start and end interactions, similar to human politeness. The researchers observed that the social dynamics between interacting apes affected the communication efforts used, with closer bonobo pairs showing shorter entry and exit phases.

Attentive listening helps teens open up, study finds

A new study found that engaged listening techniques like eye contact and praising openness help teenagers feel more authentic and connected with their parents. The research showed that being more attentive while listening made teenagers feel better about themselves and more likely to open up again in the future.

SAMSUNG T9 Portable SSD 2TB

SAMSUNG T9 Portable SSD 2TB transfers large imagery and model outputs quickly between field laptops, lab workstations, and secure archives.

Our attention is captured by eye-glance

Researchers found that eye contact causes a distortion in temporal perception, making time seem shorter than it really is. In contrast, deviated gazes do not impact time perception.

Bonobos, chimpanzees, and oxytocin

A new study from Kyoto University found that oxytocin influences eye contact in bonobos and chimpanzees differently, promoting species-specific behaviors. The hormone shifted attention more to eyes in images for bonobos, while chimps focused on mouths.

Davis Instruments Vantage Pro2 Weather Station

Davis Instruments Vantage Pro2 Weather Station offers research-grade local weather data for networked stations, campuses, and community observatories.

A study predicts smooth interaction between humans and robots

A study by Tampere University found that making eye contact with a humanoid robot evokes strong physiological reactions, including arousal and positive emotional responses. The results suggest that interaction between humans and social robots may be surprisingly seamless, as people treat robots instinctively as if they could see them.

Eye contact prepares brains for social interaction

A neuroimaging study found that real-time eye contact between individuals simultaneously activates the same areas of each person's brain. This suggests that eye contact prepares the social brain for sharing mental states with others, enhancing connectivity within the limbic mirror system.

New research debunks importance of eye contact

Researchers used eye-tracking technology to demonstrate that people don't need to mindfully look at eyes to be perceived as making eye contact during conversation. Participants rated their enjoyment of conversations equally regardless of researcher's gaze direction.

Whites struggle to tell real from fake smiles on black faces

Research by the American Psychological Association found that whites and non-black minorities have difficulty distinguishing genuine from fake smiles on black faces, which can lead to negative outcomes in interracial interactions. The study suggests that this bias may be related to reluctance to make eye contact with black faces.

Sony Alpha a7 IV (Body Only)

Sony Alpha a7 IV (Body Only) delivers reliable low-light performance and rugged build for astrophotography, lab documentation, and field expeditions.

A tilt of the head facilitates social engagement, researchers say

A new study by Nicolas Davidenko and colleagues reveals that a small tilt of the head can reduce the left-gaze bias and increase the upper-eye bias when viewing faces, making people more approachable. This finding has potential implications for individuals with autism and amblyopia.

Eye contact reduces lying

A study from the University of Tampere found that direct eye contact with someone can reduce subsequent lying. In an interactive experiment, participants played a lying game on a computer against another person, with the opponent's gaze being either direct or downward towards their screen.

Face value

Researchers developed a video game, VERITAS, that improves players' ability to discern truth from lies. After one hour of training, players can accurately detect truth 68% of the time, compared to 56% initially.

Rigol DP832 Triple-Output Bench Power Supply

Rigol DP832 Triple-Output Bench Power Supply powers sensors, microcontrollers, and test circuits with programmable rails and stable outputs.

Massachusetts General researchers explore why those with autism avoid eye contact

A team of investigators at Massachusetts General Hospital discovered that individuals with autism spectrum disorder experience overactivation in subcortical brain structures when viewing eye contact, leading to an aversion to direct gaze. This finding supports the hypothesis of an imbalance between excitatory and inhibitory signaling n...

AmScope B120C-5M Compound Microscope

AmScope B120C-5M Compound Microscope supports teaching labs and QA checks with LED illumination, mechanical stage, and included 5MP camera.

To earn gratitude, put some effort into it

Researchers found that door holders who made a high effort were more likely to receive reciprocation, with recipients saying "thank you" more often. The study also showed that small favors can inspire reciprocal acts, but verbal thanking and helping are not inherently correlated.

What are you looking at?

Researchers investigated how training affects dogs' ability to follow human gaze. They found that formal training and short-term training decrease dogs' gaze following performance. In contrast, aging does not significantly affect this ability.

Nikon Monarch 5 8x42 Binoculars

Nikon Monarch 5 8x42 Binoculars deliver bright, sharp views for wildlife surveys, eclipse chases, and quick star-field scans at dark sites.

Personality shapes the way our brains react to eye contact

Researchers found that personality traits, particularly Neuroticism, affect brain activity in response to eye contact. Participants who scored low on Neuroticism exhibited approach-associated brain activity when looking at someone making eye contact, while those with high scores showed avoidance-associated patterns.

Early warning sign for babies at risk of autism

Early joint attention before one year is linked to later autism symptoms in high-risk siblings. Babies with lower levels of initiating joint attention without smiling are more likely to have elevated ASD symptoms by 30 months.

Cereal box psychology

A study by Cornell Food & Brand Lab researchers found that cereal boxes marketed to children have a lower shelf placement and downward-facing characters, creating incidental eye contact. This leads to increased feelings of trust and connection with the brand, as well as higher ratings for consumer preference.

DJI Air 3 (RC-N2)

DJI Air 3 (RC-N2) captures 4K mapping passes and environmental surveys with dual cameras, long flight time, and omnidirectional obstacle sensing.

Eye contact builds bedside trust

A Northwestern University study found that the amount of eye contact a doctor makes is the most important factor in patient perception of empathy. Patients also gave doctors higher scores when they engaged in social touches like handshakes or pats on the back, but excessive touches decreased empathy.

Eye contact may make people more resistant to persuasion

New research suggests that eye contact can actually make people more resistant to persuasion, particularly when they already disagree. The study found that direct eye contact makes skeptical listeners less likely to change their minds.

Making eye contact doesn't always help your cause

New research shows that direct eye contact can make skeptical listeners less receptive to persuasion, while focusing on the speaker's mouth is more effective in convincing those who already agree. Eye contact plays a different role in competitive encounters, highlighting its nuanced impact on human interaction.

Men and women explore the visual world differently

A study by University of Bristol researchers found that while men made fewer eye movements than women, those they did make were longer and to more varied locations. Women's eyes were drawn to the rest of the bodies, particularly the female figure, in images of heterosexual couples.

Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 46mm)

Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 46mm) tracks health metrics and safety alerts during long observing sessions, fieldwork, and remote expeditions.

In the brain, an earlier sign of autism

Researchers have identified differences in brain function that may predict future autism symptoms in infants as young as six months old. The study found that these early brain responses associate with a later diagnosis of autism, suggesting direct measures of brain functioning could aid in predicting the development of autism symptoms.

Being ignored hurts, even by a stranger

A new study published in Psychological Science found that eye contact from a stranger can have a significant impact on social connection. Researchers discovered that even brief moments of gaze can reduce feelings of disconnection, making people feel more part of the group.

Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (M4)

Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (M4) runs demanding GIS, imaging, and annotation workflows on the go for surveys, briefings, and lab notebooks.

Psychologist increases preschooler compliance in study

A three-step prompting procedure, implemented consistently, significantly improves preschool child compliance. Instructors using the method report improved results when following a consistent approach, with children responding to instructions more effectively.

Study: Eye contact triggers threat signals in autistic children's brains

A UW-Madison study found that autistic children's amygdalas light up during non-threatening face gazing, stunting brain activity in the fusiform region. This challenges existing notions of facial processing in autism, suggesting a more complex relationship between social interaction and brain function.

GoPro HERO13 Black

GoPro HERO13 Black records stabilized 5.3K video for instrument deployments, field notes, and outreach, even in harsh weather and underwater conditions.