The Definitive Book of Body Language

The Definitive Book of Body Language

to the size of the person's pupils and to his gaze behaviour. The

eyes can be the most revealing and accurate of all human com-

munication signals because they are a focal point on the body

and the pupils work independently of conscious control.

The Dilating Pupils

In given light conditions, your pupils will dilate or contract as

your attitude and mood change from positive to negative and

vice versa. When someone becomes excited, their pupils can

dilate to up to four times their original size. Conversely, an

angry, negative mood causes the pupils to contract to what are

commonly known as 'beady little eyes' or 'snake eyes'. Lighter

eyes can look more attractive because it's easier to see the dila-

tion taking place.

Eckhard Hess, the former head of the Department of Psychol-
ogy at the University of Chicago and pioneer of the studies of
pupillometry, found that pupil size is affected by one's general
state of arousal. In general, pupil size increases when people
view something that stimulates them. Hess found that the
pupils of both heterosexual men and women dilate when
viewing pin-ups of the opposite sex and constrict when
viewing same-sex pin-ups. Similar findings have also been
obtained when people were asked to look at pleasant or
unpleasant pictures including foods, political figures, a dis-
abled child or war scenes, or when listening to music. Hess
also found that increases in pupil size are positively correlated

'Beady' eyes Bedroom eyes