Do people avoid eye-contact with you?

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I always thought about it in terms of us having nothing to hide - we give a genuine honest look at people and because most people have loads to hide they don't like it

They find our look far too honest in my opinion and it makes them feel judged

They find it too intense as their world consists of hiding their true self most of the time.

That's how I see it as I get the impression some people think my look is some kind of impertinence but as I see it I've happened to make eye contact inadvertently or look up and they're looking at me hence I look back

There is such a thing as the 'social gaze' which is softer, more friendly and accepting and less analytical I think, that makes people feel more at ease

I haven't mastered it but I find looking away from people a lot more helps as an unbroken look, even if they are doing it back will be seen as a stare on your part even if they are doing it too

I can do very good eye contact if I feel someone is trying to bully me - I will look right at them to try and embarrass them and they will often not want to meet my eye if they are being underhand

generally though I don't deliberately seek eye contact as it's such a minefield and I'm not very interested in other people anyway - I usually just deal with the eye contact of others by looking away or staring back if I feel they're being rude

if I look at people too much I get caught up in a social dominance game whereby I try and win and I know it's not healthy

I do not want to be a person who walks round looking at the floor or never making eye contact though as I feel this is a sign of subservience and subservient is not how I feel to anyone!

In terms of people not making eye contact I think this will occur the more desperate you are for the eye contact - be less bothered and it will happen more. I think people pick up a discomfort vibe from a person via their expression or lack of smile and this makes them less likely to make the eye contact. It used to bother me a lot more in the past but now not so much.
It's a sign of wanting too much control over others to need eye contact to occur always when you want it

Yes. But not only do they avoid eye contact with me, they turn away and finish the conversation with someone else. It's kind of annoying.

hard to say since i dont look at them when talking to them, i look everywhere so im usually not even aware if theyre looking in my direction, i dont really care either

I've been practicing looking people in the eye. This is what I've learned:

Walking by someone: They will glance at you, make eye contact, and continue on their way. My mom says they are simply aknowledging your existence, then continuing onward. Also, if you keep your head level (not looking at the floor or ceiling), they are less likely to stare at you.

Too much eye contact: If you make eye contact for more than four seconds (maybe less, but at least four) you're staring at them and they get uncomfortable. Also, remeber to blink.

Conversation: Still have a lot to learn from this bit. You have to do more than glance at someone, but of course, not end up staring at them. That's all the farther I've gotten yet.

This guy talks about why some people find the direct-eye gaze creepy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLJEsT9mY2Y

And, look at the difference between Anthony Hopkins as himself and him playing Hannibal Lecter.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NP-Dw81oFJc

In my case, I'm autistic, rather than a psychopath. But, those with an active imagination can get confused.

This is a formal neurological study that gets into the details of what eye-to-eye contact involves. My interpertation is that some people effectively get a punishing sensation while being looked at directly in the eyes.

http://cercor.oxfordjournals.org/conten ... ht003.full