Digitalization Weakens Eye Contact Among Students in the U.S.
Eye contact plays a critical role in communication, demonstrating respect, engagement, reliability, and self-confidence, as well as in building relationships. However, according to a survey conducted by the EdWeek Research Center, the majority of K-12 students in the U.S. are increasingly losing their ability to make eye contact.
In the survey, which involved K-12 educators in the U.S., 62% of teachers, school principals, and district officials reported that students’ ability to make and maintain eye contact has deteriorated over the past decade. A quarter of the educators even stated that this issue has become “much worse.”
Educators highlighted that this decline is linked to the isolation caused by the pandemic and the increased use of cell phones and social media, reflecting a broader decrease in children’s social skills. Additionally, they noted that poor eye contact is already weakening students’ relationships with their teachers and peers.
As part of EdWeek’s research, a school principal from Oklahoma observed students in her school by standing at the cafeteria door and engaging with them. She counted how many students made eye contact. The principal noted that while 80% of the students responded verbally, only 40% made eye contact.
The report published by the EdWeek Research Center following the study emphasized that eye contact is as crucial as the advice given for job interviews, warning that this situation could pose challenges for children when they enter the workforce in the future.