Dating scholars have explored the role of eye contact in the context of initial romantic attraction.

They describe eye contact as one of the most important nonverbal signals used to communicate love during relationship development.

But eye contact also plays a role in reducing insecurity within initial romantic interactions, because with more eye contact comes less expressiveness, in certain situations.

Accordingly, the researchers recognized eye contact as a critical, natural component of communication used to convey consent and attraction, and noted that perhaps not surprisingly, romantic reciprocal attraction promotes more eye contact.

But how does it work?

Croes et al. used speed-dating methodology to investigate the impact of eye contact on the development of romantic attraction and the role of interactive strategies, reducing uncertainty in the form of self-discovery and asking questions. Surprisingly, their results revealed that eye contact had no direct effect on romantic attraction . However, they found that within initial interactions, eye contact causes less insecurity and more intimacy, compared to non-eye contact communications.

More eye contact, fewer questions
 
Croes et al. noted that although eye contact within initial interactions does not affect romantic attraction, it does affect interaction because communication is more nonverbally expressive, given that it enhances self-discovery.
 
Therefore, when communicating without eye contact, people tend to ask more questions to reduce uncertainty. Croes et al. found that with eye contact, people asked fewer questions and the questions were less intimate, suggesting that contact without eye contact, like on Skype, creates more insecurity. They noticed that lack of eye contact creates less informative interaction, which generates more questions.
 
They explained that mutual observation regulates communication, signals the reception of the conversation and gives feedback on the reception and perception of messages. Without eye contact, more questions may be asked to adjust the conversation.
 
Croes et al. explained that the results of their study demonstrate that people can still create attractive impressions without direct eye contact in communication situations.

Are people more attractive if they ask more questions?
 
Croes et al. came to a somewhat surprising conclusion, finding that questioning and self-discovery did not directly affect romantic attraction, a finding at odds with previous research on reducing uncertainty, where questioning and self-discovery created more intimate and more interactions. lots of traction.