Why can we sense when people are looking at us?

Mother Nature Network ^ | 11/19/2015 | Laura Moss

[Kid Shelleen]

If you've ever felt like someone was watching you, you may have attributed that awareness to a sense of unease or a prickling on the back of your neck. But there's nothing psychic about it; your brain was simply picking up on cues. In fact, your brain is wired to inform you that someone is looking at you even when they're not.

"Far from being ESP, the perception originates from a system in the brain that's devoted to detecting where others are looking," writes social psychologist Ilan Shrira. This concept may sound confusing, but it actually makes a lot of sense when you think about it as a survival instinct.

Many mammals can tell when another animal is looking at them, but the human "gaze-detection system" is particularly good at doing this from a distance. We're able to easily discern where someone is looking.

[OftheOhio]

gazing without focusing has safely carried me through an encounter with a bear at 5 paces. My partner was only about a hundred and twenty five yards away, his safety was my big concern. I told myself I would not shoot in his direction (grazing fire) no matter what. Guess where the bear appeared. Strangely enough he was grumbling about my partner as he walked by, oblivious to me sitting on the ground like a rock.

[Sicvee]

I have always thought that too. It happened too often that I could not enjoy just gazing at a good looking babe without her turning and glaring at me for no apparent reason

[HotHunt]

I read a book recently (title escapes me) about the English and French fighting in the Hundred Years' War at the Battle of Agincourt in northern France in 1415.

This battle is famous and notable for the use of the English longbow in very large numbers, with English and Welsh archers forming most of King Henry V’s army. The battle is the centerpiece of the play Henry V by William Shakespeare.

But to the point, the English archers were taught to not look at their human targets on the battle field, but to look through or past them when aiming. The good ones could almost "loose" their arrows and hit the target with their eyes closed.

[sparklite2]

I have that book and read it twice. It is excellent.

[sparklite2]

I remember reading about the ‘hypnotic stare,’ where you look at the person, but are actually focusing your eyes ten feet behind them. It was also useful to give the wife the impression I was listening to her talk while my ears were tuned in to the football game.

[Carthego delenda est]

Yep!

[Gene Eric]

>> Why?

Or how?

[uglybiker]

Because somebody, somewhere is trying to crush your head!

[rlmorel]

LOL...probably the way most guys reach that conclusion!