How long do you think we could maintain eye contacts before it got weird?

你覺得在開始覺得怪之前，我們可以維持眼神接觸多久？

I don't know. Let's find out!

不知道耶，來試試看！

Okay, it got weird.

好，有點怪了。

Yeah, sorry.

嗯，抱歉。

Hey, guys! Tara and Trace here for DNews.

嗨各位！歡迎收看 DNews！我是 Tara，他是 Trace。

And if you think eye contact is weird, you're not alone.

如果你認為眼神接觸很怪、很尷尬，你並不孤單。

When we lock eyes with a stranger, it can make us feel a little bit squeamish.

和陌生人對視時，我們會覺得有點不舒服。

But why is that?

但這是為什麼呢？

I mean it's an essential part of communication, so why does it make us so icky?

我的意思是，眼神是溝通的重要一環，那為什麼我們會覺得不舒服呢？

Well, according to a new study, making eye contact with someone makes us more self-aware and that can lead to feelings of self-consciousness.

根據一項新的研究，與某人眼神接觸會提升我們的自我意識，而那會讓人感到不自在。

For their study, researchers asked 32 volunteers to look at a series of photos featuring a person who is either looking directly at the camera or looking away.

研究中，32 名志願者被要求看一系列人物照片，照片中的人不是直視鏡頭，就是完全不看鏡頭。

After looking at the images, volunteers were asked to rate how strongly they reacted to the photos while researchers took measurements of their skin conductivity,

看完照片後，研究員要求志願者評價對照片的感受強烈程度，並同時測量他們的皮膚導電率，

which is an objective measure of how emotionally charged someone is.

而測量皮膚導電率是一種客觀衡量情緒波動的方法。

Turns out volunteers reported feeling more emotionally tuned in when the people and the photos appeared to be making eye contact with them.

結果顯示，當受試者和照片中的人對視時，情緒會更為激動。

And their physiology reflected that.

這也反映在了生理上。

It's important to remember though that this is controlled experiment in a closed environment.

很重要的一點是，這是在封閉環境下進行的受控實驗。

It's entirely possible that in person the effect would be even stronger.

當情況變成面對面對視時，這種反映極為可能更強烈。

True, and it's also worth considering the cultural implications of something like eye contact.

沒錯，而且眼神接觸代表的文化意涵也值得我們探討。

In the Western world for example, it's considered rude if you don't maintain eye contact with someone as they're talking to you.

例如，在西方國家，不跟別人保持眼神接觸被認為是無禮的行為。

That's not really the case for other cultures.

但在其他國家卻不是如此。

In a lot of Middle Eastern countries, eye contact, especially between a man and a woman, is considered inappropriate because it [can] be construed as romantic interest.

在很多中東國家，眼神交流，尤其是男女之間的交流被認為是不恰當的，會被解釋作對對方有興趣。

But if you're talking about two people of the same gender, then intense eye contact can be a way of showing sincerity.

但如果是於同性別的人之間，強烈的目光交流可以是表達誠意的一種方式。

Like you really mean what you're saying.

代表你對正敘述的事很真心。

True. Asian cultures are probably the trickiest because their social hierarchies are so much more pronounced than they are here in America.

沒錯，而亞洲文化可能是最棘手的，因為他們的社會階級制度比美國更明顯。

They also place a huge importance on respect in the amount of eye contact you make with someone is a direct reflection of that.

他們非常重視「尊重」這件事，而這會藉由你與對方眼神接觸的程度反映出來。

So in places like China and Japan for instance, it's widely accepted that subordinates should not maintain steady eye contact with their superiors.

所以在中國和日本等地，人們普遍認為，下屬不應該與上級保持目光接觸。

Whether it's your professor or your boss or even your parents.

無論是與教授、老闆，甚至是父母。

The same is true for most African and Latin American cultures.

大多數非洲和南美地區的文化也是如此。

In those countries, intense eye contact isn't just disrespectful, it can often be a sign of aggression.

在那些國家，強烈的眼神接觸不僅不尊重，還常常代表侵略性。

Yeah, it's crazy that something so innate to our culture might actually be offensive in other countries.

對啊，在我們文化裡很自然的東西，在其他國家卻可能冒犯別人，真是瘋狂！

But I guess that's the beauty of the world.

但我想世界之美便是如此。

No matter where you go, you're always bound to offend someone.

無論你走到哪，都有可能冒犯到別人。

And how!

的確如此！

What do you guys think? Especially those of you living outside of America.

大家有什麼想法呢？尤其是不住在美國的觀眾們。

How is eye contact interpreted in your culture?

你們的文化如何詮釋眼神接觸呢？

Let us know your answers down in the comment, down there.

在下方留言告訴我們！

And as always, thanks a lot for watching DNews.

謝謝收看！