History Main / EyesAlwaysAverted

* A common characteristic of people who are [[{{UsefulNotes/Autism}} autistic]], including UsefulNotes/AspergersSyndrome and other neurological or psychological differences, is difficulty maintaining eye contact with ''anyone'', even close family members, and is often one of the earliest signs. Many autistics say that it's easier for them to listen to you if they look down or away. Sometimes when they appear to be completely out of touch, that's actually when they're the most connected and paying attention.

[[folder: Anime and Manga]]
* In ''LightNovel/MyTeenRomanticComedySNAFU'', [[{{Chuunibyou}} Yoshiteru Zaimokuza]] {{cannot talk to women}}, so when he asked for help, he usually only talked to 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.
* ''LightNovel/SpiceAndWolf''
** Holo tends to keep her eyes averted from new people and in negotiations, only directly looking at someone as a tactic to manipulate them (such as Lawrence's moneychanger friend) or after an arrangement of some sort has been reached.
** The American covers of the light novels (except for the [[ContemptibleCover first one]]) curiously depict essentially the same scene as the Japanese covers , but with a more realistic art style and with Holo's head turned away.
* At one point in ''Manga/SayonaraZetsubouSensei'', Nozomu believes he can escape [[ItMakesSenseInContext arranged marriage by eye contact]], as he is a master of avoiding eye contact. Probably counts as the neurological or psychological disorder variant.
* ShrinkingViolet Hinata from ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' originally had this issue but she outgrew it, along with her shyness, by the end of ''Shippuden''.

* ''Manga/ASilentVoice'': After being bullied for years for tormenting a deaf girl in his youth, Ishida is left unable to watch people he has no personal connection with in the eyes, usually watching the ground. And when he does, he metaphorically crosses their faces or has panic attacks.

[[folder: Fan Works]]
* In the ''Series/{{CSI}}'' fanwork "[[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.
* In ''Fanfic/LetUsBeYourPoison'', Pyrrha dislikes eye contact. It's too personal for her and an avoidance of eye contact is also common for [[spoiler: people on the autism spectrum]].

[[folder: Film]]
* 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 times he manages eye contact is at the end of the first movie, when he defiantly looks straight into Grindelwald's eyes as he is defeated.
* 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.
* ''Film/UnderThePiano'': As a toddler, Rosetta refuses to look her parents in the face, even when they grab her and turn her towards them.
* In ''Film/ZigZag2002'', [=ZigZag=] doesn't usually look at people when he talks to them, which enrages [[AbusiveParents his father]] and [[MeanBoss Mr. Walters]].
* Jovana from ''Film/MidwinterNightsDream'' is autistic and rarely looks people in the eye, despite Lazar's efforts to force eye contact on her.
* Raun from ''Film/SonRiseAMiracleOfLove'' rarely looks at people, and when he does, he seems to be staring through them.

* Shane from ''Film/BackstreetDreams'' stares at the ground most of the time. A major part of Stevie's therapy is getting him to make eye contact.

[[folder: Literature]]

* In ''Literature/TheEagleTree'', March tries to avoid looking at people, since he doesn't like the way their faces move around.
* ''Literature/AnythingButTypical'': People assume that when Jason doesn't look at them, he isn't paying attention, but the truth is that he finds paying attention much easier when he isn't being distracted by people's faces.
* Tara from ''Literature/ThePlaceInsideTheStorm'' finds eye contact weird and uncomfortably intimate. When Dr. Gutierrez tries to force it on her, she flinches and freezes up. [[spoiler:Later she reaches a mostly-autistic commune, where it's considered rude to make eye contact with people you don't know well.]]
* Tammy from ''Literature/MARiiMO'' normally finds it uncomfortable to reciprocate eye contact, although she finds that she doesn't mind it with Mariimo.
* Anthony from ''Literature/LoveAnthony'' likes clear cause and effect. People's eyes can look different even in the same situation, so he avoids looking at them. His mother once waited hours for him to glance at the camera so she could take a picture.
* ''Literature/MiracleCreek'': As a young child, Henry could go weeks without looking directly at anyone. Elizabeth once pinched his shoulders hard enough to leave bruises, and was elated when he made direct, prolonged eye contact with her as he twisted to get away. When he was older, Elizabeth said, "Henry, don't be spacey; look at me, always look at the person you're talking to," in almost every conversation. Now that he's dead, she wonders why she couldn't just talk to him like a human being instead of obsessing over where his eyes were pointed.
* In ''Literature/DaystarAndShadow'', Robin and Shadow rarely make eye contact, either with each other or with other people. Robin eventually learns from [[spoiler:his long-lost sister Annette]] that this is a symptom of autism.
* Siofra from "Literature/FairestOfAll" never makes eye contact - the closest she comes is looking at people's faces, which she only does intermittently.
* In ''Literature/TheDeep2019'', Yetu befriends the human woman Oori, who seems to have an aversion to looking anyone in the face. At first Yetu thinks Oori thinks she's ugly. Later she understands that it's loneliness from being the LastOfHerKind.
* ''Literature/HoshiAndTheRedCityCircuit'': Eye contact makes Hoshi feel like her soul is being yanked out through her pupils. She still sometimes forces herself to make it while interrogating people, but otherwise she avoids it as much as possible.
* Vivy from ''Literature/GetAGripVivyCohen'' hates making eye contact, which not only is incredibly uncomfortable but also makes it even harder to find the right words than it already is. She looks at people's noses if possible.

[[folder: Live-Action TV]]

* ''Series/{{Babylon 5}}'': Both Delenn and Lennier start out this way in their respective careers. Lennier keeps it up longer, though.
* ''Series/TheBigBangTheory''. In the {{Flashback}} to when Leonard and Sheldon first met, Sheldon makes very little eye contact. It's a little off-putting and not immediately noticeable, but adds to just how much better he's become in social situations.
* 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.
* 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's autistic.

[[folder: Real Life]]
* A common characteristic of people who are [[{{UsefulNotes/Autism}} autistic]], including UsefulNotes/AspergersSyndrome, and other neurological or psychological differences is difficulty maintaining eye contact with ''anyone'', even close family members, and is often one of the earliest signs. Many autistics say that it's easier for them to listen to you if they look down or away. Sometimes when they appear to be completely out of touch, that's actually when they're the most connected and paying attention.
* Expectation of eye contact in conversation or acquaintance encounters is a relatively recent phenomenon, even to the West. In many cultures (such as Japan, and many Middle Eastern, Hispanic and Native American societies), it is considered rude or intimate to maintain eye contact, in part of regard for eyes as windows to the soul.
** Islamic societies for example recommend to lower their gaze as eye contact especially with women might be interpreted as lustful.

** 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. A [[http://gastronomy-101.blogspot.com/2007/04/japan-day-5-miyajima-island-part-2.html famous sign]] on the fence at the monkeys' area of the Miyajima Island zoo says: "We do not like to be stared at our eyes. If you do so, we are not responsible for what will happen!"

** 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. Wolves are known to be even more aggressive towards eye contact because, unlike domestic dogs, they haven't learned through millenia of living with humans to look at their faces for guidance.
** Cats see direct, sustained eye contact as a threat. But looking at you with a "squint" or blinking means "I love you." If you want to tell your cat you love him, look at him for a second and then slowly close your eyes.
** Even humans are this way. Casually looking someone in the eyes is normal and at most means they're curious about you, however humans don't take to being stared blank in the eye so kindly. It's often either threatening or anxiety-inducing, unless it is clear that they're just focusing on you while talking.

* In ''Webcomic/{{Freefall}}'', Doctor Bowman and the staff working with him make a point of avoiding eye contact, with the staff wearing tinted lenses to keep it from happening by accident. As [[spoiler:an {{uplifted|Animal}} chimpanzee]], Bowman can't help but take eye contact as a threat and react aggressively.

* In ''Literature/TheDeep2019'', Yetu befriends the human woman Oori, who seems to have an aversion to looking anyone in the face. At first Yetu thinks Oori thinks she's ugly. Now she understands that it's loneliness from being the LastOfHerKind.

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

* Expectation of eye contact in conversation or acquaintance encounters is a relatively recent phenomenon, even to the West. In many cultures (such as Japan, and many Middle Eastern, Hispanic and Native American societies), it is considered rude or intimate to maintain eye contact, in part of regard for eyes as windows to the soul. Native children are taught never to make eye contact with adults, and many adults will seldom look right at you. This caused a lot of tragic misunderstanding of Indian kids as rude or dishonest at Anglo boarding schools. Social workers, educators and people who work with Native veterans are now [[https://www.ruralhealth.va.gov/docs/webinars/richardson-cultural-sensitivity-062712.pdf taught these differences to reduce misunderstandings]].

* ''Literature/MiracleCreek'': As a young child, Henry could go weeks without looking in the eye. Elizabeth once pinched his shoulders hard enough to leave bruises, and was elated when he made direct, prolonged eye contact with her as he twisted to get away. When he was older, Elizabeth said, "Henry, don't be spacey; look at me, always look at the person you're talking to," in almost every conversation. Now that he's dead, she wonders why she couldn't just talk to him like a human being instead of obsessing over where his eyes were pointed.

* 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.

* Michael from ''Film/CriesFromTheHeart'' looks all around him, but he rarely looks at people's faces for more than a fractionf a second.

* Tammy from ''Literature/MARiiMO normally finds it uncomfortable to reciprocate eye contact, although she finds that she doesn't mind it with Mariimo.

* ''Film/ChangeOfHabit'': When Carpenter grabs the autistic child Amanda's chin, she tries to turn her head away.