History Main / EyesAlwaysAverted

* ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles''. Harry Dresden always tries to avoid eye contact, since for a wizard, direct eye contact starts a soulgaze, or a direct experience of that person's innermost character. The memory of a soulgaze never fades, and the experience can be fairly traumatic.

* In ''LightNovel/MyTeenRomanticComedySNAFU'', [[{{Chuunibyou}} Yoshiteru Zaimokuza]] {{cannot talk to women}}, so when he asked for help, he usually only talked to [[TheProtagonist Hachiman Hikigaya]], avoiding even eye-contact with [[IceQueen Yukino Yukinoshita]] who also asked things when he went to Service Club for critics about the light novel he's writing, going very nervious when Yukino confronted him about didn't get any attention from him, not even looked her.

* Newt Scamander, the protagonist of ''Film/FantasticBeastsAndWhereToFindThem'' prefers the company of his magical beasts to humans, which is pretty easy to tell considering he never makes eye contact and often stares straight down to avoid looking at anyone. One of the only time he manages eye contact is at the end of the movie, when he defiantly looks straight into the main villain's eyes as they are defeated.

* ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles''. Harry Dresden always tries to avoid eye contact, since for a wizard, direct eye contact starts a [[WindowsOfTheSoul soulgaze]], or a direct experience of that person's innermost character. The memory of a soulgaze never fades, and the experience can be fairly traumatic.

* In ''Series/{{Scrubs}}'', Doctor Cox tries to get his friend's son to make eye contact with him, knowing that if he doesn't, it could mean he has autism.

* A common characteristic of people with {{UsefulNotes/Autism}}, UsefulNotes/AspergersSyndrome, and other neurological or psychological disorders is difficulty maintaining eye contact with ''anyone'', even close family members, and is often one of the earliest signs.
* Expectation of eye contact in conversation or acquaintance encounters is a relatively recent phenomenon, even to the West. In many cultures (such as Japan), it is considered rude or intimate to maintain eye contact, in part of past regard for eyes as windows to the soul.

** Anyone who is working with primates will do this as most species see direct eye contact as a challenge. It's not uncommon for captive gorillas to bang on the glass of enclosures in zoos because a guest has been looking at him in the eyes.

* In ''Fanfic/LetUsBeYourPoison'', Pyrrha dislikes eye contact. It's too personal for her and aan avoidance of eye contact is also common for [[spoiler: people on the autism spectrum]].

* In ''Fanfic/LetUsBeYourPoison'', Pyrrha dislikes eye contact. It's too personal for her and [[spoiler:an avoidance of eye contact is also common for people on the autism spectrum]].

SisterTrope of EyesAlwaysShut and HiddenEyes. Does not apply to those with an EyelessFace. Sometimes the reason for CoolShades

* The protagonist of ''Film/FantasticBeastsAndWhereToFindThem'' prefers the company of his magical beasts to humans, which is pretty easy to tell considering he never makes eye contact and often stares straight down to avoid looking at anyone. One of the only time he manages eye contact is at the end of the movie, when he defiantly looks straight into the main villain's eyes as they are defeated.

* ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'': When reporting to Vetinari, Vimes always stares at a spot slightly above the Patrician's head, in part due to the fact that the WindowsToTheSoul trope is extremely prevalent on the Disc (even gods can't hide or disguise their eyes).
* ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles''. Harry Dresden always tries to avoid eye contact, since for a wizard, direct eye contact starts [[WindowsToTheSoul a soulgaze]], or a direct experience of that person's innermost character. The memory of a soulgaze never fades, and the experience can be fairly traumatic.

* ''VisualNovel/MissingStars'': The socially anxious and painfully shy isn't good at maintaining eye contact.

* ShrinkingViolet Hinata from ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' originally had this issue but she outgrew it along with her shyness by the end of ''Shippuden''.

* Many animals avoid eye contact for several different reasons, broadly related to domination by or submission to the starer.
** Anyone who is working with Primates will do this as most species see direct eye contact as a challenge. It's not uncommon for captive Gorillas to bang on the glass of enclosures in zoos because a guest has been looking at him in the eyes.

** Dogs will stare at a person, but avoid eye contact if the human is considered dominant; if the human isn't, or is unfamiliar, they can react aggressively, as they see the staring as their own dominance being challenged.

* In the Film/XMenFilmSeries, 6'4" Creator/HughJackman pulled off looking smaller and more intimidating in part by looking down. The downward look appears more intimidating and thus sold Jackman as scrappier and more aggressive than he looks in real life.

* In the second Literature/ArtemisFowl book, a scientist working for Spiro does his best not to look when a MafiaPrincess is talking, in the event that he's called as a witness.
* Literature/{{Discworld}}: When reporting to Vetinari, Vimes always stares at a spot slightly above the Patrician's head, in part due to the fact that the WindowsToTheSoul trope is extremely prevalent on the Disc (even gods can't hide or disguise their eyes).

* One Literature/HerculePoirot novel has an InformationBroker deliver his reports to various items of furniture, but never once looking Poirot in the face. No reason is given for this.

* Expectation of eye contact in conversation or acquaintance encounters is a relatively recent phenomenon, even to the West. In many cultures (such as Japan) , it is considered rude or intimate to maintain eye contact, in part of past regard for eyes as windows to the soul.

* In Hollywood, this is often used to indicate that a person is extremely shy, or that they are shifty or untrustworthy.

Eye contact is usually an integral part of face to face communication, but some people missed the memo. It may not always be easy to pick up on, since we usually aren't seeing the scene through another characters eyes but through the [[ThirdPersonNarration metaphorical third person]]. The reason and duration varies; they simply may not do so to people who are not close to them, to unnerve other characters, a social disorder, or none may be apparent.

* In the ''{{CSI}}'' [[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4828756/1/Face_The_Music Face The Music]], Grissom is like this for quite a few chapters after his rescue because his captors kept slapping him in the face and forcing him to avoid eye contact. Consequently, his mind still feared more abuse if he made eye contact.

* The protagonist of ''Film/FantasticBeastsAndWhereToFindThem'' prefers the company of his magical beasts to humans, which is pretty easy to tell considering he never makes eye contact and often stares straight down to avoid looking at anyone. One of the only time he manages eye contact is at the end of the movie, when he defiantly looks straight into the main villains eyes as they are defeated.
* In Franchise/XMen, 6'4" Creator/HughJackman pulled off looking smaller and more intimidating in part by looking down. The downward look appears more intimidating and thus sold Jackman as scrappier and more aggressive than he looks in real life.

* In the second ArtemisFowl book, a scientist working for Spiro does his best not to look when a MafiaPrincess is talking, in the event that he's called as a witness.
* {{Discworld}}: When reporting to Vetinari, Vimes always stares at a spot slightly above the Patrician's head, in part due to the fact that the WindowsToTheSoul trope is extremely prevalent on the Disc (even gods can't hide or disguise their eyes).

* One HerculePoirot novel has an InformationBroker deliver his reports to various items of furniture, but never once looking Poirot in the face. No reason is given for this.

* ''Series/{{Babylon 5}}'' Both Delenn and Lennir start out this way in their respective careers. Lennir keeps it up longer, though.

* In {{Series/Hannibal}}, Will Graham wears his glasses in such a way that he doesn't have to make eye contact but can still maintain a measure of courtesy. Jack Crawford explicitly calls him out on this.

Linked to MagicalEye, EyeBeams, HypnoticEyes, and other similar eye-power tropes, as avoiding accidental activation of those powers can be a {{justif|iedTrope}}cation for this trope.