Looking at someones left eye vs right eye

Q: What does it mean if you look at someones left eye?

Theres a common wives tale that tries to help us out with this: It says, if you look into a persons left eye, it means youre connecting to their emotional side, because thats the side of the brain that processes emotion.

Photographed by Renell Medrano.

Table of Contents Show

Does The Psychology Love Eye Trick Actually Work? We Asked Experts
What is the psychology love eye trick?
How to try it yourself.
eHarmony.com
Is there any science behind it?
What the experts say.
The takeaway.
What does it mean if you look at someone's left eye?
Should I look at someone's left or right eye?
Which eye do you look at when you like someone?
What does the left and right eye symbolize?

When you're sitting across from a date, amid all the other chatter in your brain, you may find yourself stressed about where to look. Do you focus on their mouth? Is it weird to stare at the bridge of their nose? If you gaze directly into their eyeballs, will you be able to see inside their soul? These are somewhat valid concerns to have when you're trying to make a meaningful impression on someone.

There's a common wives' tale that tries to help us out with this: It says, if you look into a person's left eye, it means you're connecting to their emotional side, because that's the side of the brain that processes emotion. Indeed, even Bachelorette contestants have used this fun fact as a ploy to get more attention during a cocktail party. But as you might suspect, fast-tracking a connection is not as simple as a one-eyed stare-down.

But people tend to use "left brain" and "right brain" to describe their personality, which is where it gets confusing. For example, if you're a "left-brained" type, then the belief is that you're a logical, analytical person, whereas "right-brained" people are supposedly more creative and intuitive. Bummer as it may be, research on brain scans has shown that people's brains don't actually favor a side. "We still don’t know a lot about what determines individual personality, but it seems unlikely that it’s the dominance of one side of the brain or the other that matters," Robert H. Shmerling, MD, wrote in the Harvard Health Blog this August.

More to the point: There's probably no connection between the hemispheres of the brain and which eye people tend to look at, according to a 2012 study that analyzed the eye motion patterns of 32 people while lying and telling the truth. Unfortunately, this is probably just another body-language myth being perpetuated because it can sound fun and flattering when you're on a date.

But that said, when you are face-to-face with a potential suitor, there may be some ways to "tap into their emotional side" using your eyes. For example, a not-so-shocking study from way back in 1970 found that couples who "loved each other a great deal" spend more time looking into their partner's eyes than couples who loved each other to a lesser degree. So, the amount of time that your date spends looking into your eyes could be a sign that they're interested.

While it might seem obvious that eye contact can improve a connection, it probably doesn't really matter which eye you or your date look into. Maybe instead of the "old wives," we can try following Hamilton's advice: Look them in the eye, aim no higher, and summon all the courage you require. Or, you know, just be yourself.

Love

Does The Psychology Love Eye Trick Actually Work? We Asked Experts

mbg Spirituality & Relationships Writer

By Sarah Regan

mbg Spirituality & Relationships Writer

Sarah Regan is a Spirituality & Relationships Writer, and a registered yoga instructor. She received her bachelor's in broadcasting and mass communication from SUNY Oswego, and lives in Buffalo, New York.

May 25, 2022

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Can you make someone fall in love with you with just a look? A TikTok video that recently went viral says you can, so we investigated. Here's what research and the experts have to say.

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What is the psychology love eye trick?

The so-called psychology love eye trick is a specific flirting move popularized by a series of TikTok videos posted by user Sophie Rose Lloyd. It involves looking at someone's left eye, then their lips, and then their right eye.

The original video was posted in July 2021 and has since racked up nearly 17 million views, garnering attention with the claim that the trick can make people fall for you. Lloyd, in subsequent videos, says it's never failed her.

Does it actually work?

While there may not be a foolproof "magic trick" to make someone instantly fall in love with you, there may be more to this move than you think.

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How to try it yourself.

Before we dive into what research and the experts say about the validity of this trick, if you're wondering how to actually do it, here's a step-by-step explanation:

While in a conversation with someone you're interested in, look in their left eye for one second.
Then, shift your gaze to their lips.
After 1.5 to 2 seconds, bring your gaze up and look into their right eye.

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This trick is intended to be used with someone you really like and have a mutual interest with. "So, it might not necessarily work on strangers or people that you've never spoken to before up until this point," Lloyd says, adding, "It's really good if you're with your crush [...and] it's a good way of making them kind of clear on how you feel."
Avoid doing this trick in a group setting and stick to one-on-one conversations. "It might not work if you're in a group because their attention will be on all the people around the table. They might not be looking at you for the duration you actually do [the trick]," Lloyd explains.
Lastly, do the trick while they're talking and you're listening, as opposed to when you're talking.

Is there any science behind it?

While the actual trick may not have any research behind it, there is plenty of research on the importance of body language and, more specifically, eye contact1.

"We pick up on people's nonverbal cues—and eye contact is a nonverbal cue—as a way of communicating with somebody, and especially somebody that you're interested in," psychotherapist Annette Nuñez, Ph.D., LMFT, tells mbg. Not only does eye contact convey respect and confidence, but she says it also shows that you are engaged and listening attentively to this person.

According to certified sex therapist De-Andrea Blaylock-Solar, MSW, LCSW-S, CST, "Research shows us that holding your gaze with someone you're interested in can really foster connection."

In the 1997 experiment2 that inspired the famous "36 questions to fall in love," researchers found that they could foster intimacy between strangers by having them ask each other a series of personal questions followed by four minutes of uninterrupted eye contact. More recently, a 2019 study3 found that while eye contact may not directly affect romantic attraction, it does enhance intimate self-disclosure and reduce uncertainty toward a person.

So eye contact may not be some kind of magic trick, but it does seem to help create the kind of intimacy that contributes to falling in love.

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What the experts say.

So, what do relationships experts make of the psychology love eye trick?

"There's a lot more that goes into falling in love besides doing a trick like that," says Nuñez.

That said, she says eye contact certainly can foster more intimacy and vulnerability—and even have some seductive power. "I'll have [client couples] do eye gazing because it gives a certain level of vulnerability," Blaylock-Solar adds. "It doesn't mean that it's a trick to fall in love, however."

Nuñez agrees, noting that if you're really looking for true love, it's going to take more than a simple trick. True love comes down to time, effort, and a conscious choice on both people's part.

"If you have to trick someone into it, then maybe assess whether you want somebody to lust after you or if you want somebody to really love you," she adds.

When it comes to really making someone fall in love with you, Nuñez says to focus on showing up for this person consistently and communicating openly and honestly. "You want a relationship with love that's built on trust and honesty, so the more consistent you can be with a partner, and the more you're there to listen without judgment, not make the relationship solely about you, you know, and being present—that's number one," she says.

Even Lloyd never said this trick works for a love-at-first-sight moment but rather to enhance intimacy that is already building with a crush.

The takeaway.

Who isn't curious about how to flirt better? This eye contact trick isn't going to guarantee your crush will fall in love right then and there, though it may have something to it when it comes to drumming up some seductive tension and intimacy. Truly falling in love takes time, but in the meantime, some romantic eye-gazing certainly never hurt.

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What does it mean if you look at someone's left eye?

Should I look at someone's left or right eye?

Whatever eye you feel more comfortable doing so! Honestly, this typically isn't a problem unless you're very close to the person you're making eye contact with. NOW, if the person you're making eye contact with has an eye turn (i.e. lazy eye) it is polite to look at the eye that is looking straight ahead.

Which eye do you look at when you like someone?

To execute the psychology love eye trick, simply look at your crush's left eye, then down to their chin/lips, then to their right eye. This should all happen in a matter of seconds—you don't want to get caught staring at their chin for too long, they'll think they have food or something stuck there.

What does the left and right eye symbolize?

According to later traditions, the right eye represented the sun and so is called the “Eye of Ra” while the left represented the moon and was known as the “eye of Horus” (although it was also associated with Thoth).