Sometimes you can tell how a sales call is going before the prospect says a word. Maybe they close their eyes for a second when you mention price or they start rubbing their face when you talk about timelines. That reaction is called eye blocking. It’s a natural body-language signal people make when something feels stressful or confusing.
A post on the Science of People blog explains that these behaviors happen automatically, often before the thinking brain registers what’s wrong. If you notice a prospect squinting their eyes or shielding their eyes, it doesn’t mean they’re being dishonest — it means they’re uncomfortable. In this issue of PromoPro Daily, we highlight pointers from Science of People on how you can read eye blocking so you can adjust your approach in the moment.
Learn the 5 forms. These include prolonged blinks, eye rubbing, squinting, shielding and rapid blinking, according to the Science of People post. Start noticing which ones appear most often in your daily interactions.
Always establish a baseline. According to the post, it’s smart to spend the first few minutes of any conversation observing the person’s normal eye behavior before interpreting changes.
Watch the timing. The most valuable information comes from when eye blocking appears. For example, notice whether it happens right after a specific word, number or topic.
Look for clusters, not single cues. One squint is ambiguous. A squint plus crossed arms plus a jaw clench tells a clear story, the post says.
Stop assuming eye blocking means lying. The Science of People post points out research that shows that roughly 82% of deception experts agree gaze aversion is not a reliable indicator of deception.
Audit your own eye blocking. Try to pay attention to what triggers your own prolonged blinks or eye rubbing. Do this for a week. The post says awareness of your own patterns is just as valuable as reading others.
Respect cultural and neurological differences. Not all eye behavior means the same thing across cultures. The Science of People post also points out that neurodivergent individuals may have different eye contact patterns that have nothing to do with comfort or honesty.
If you notice signs of eye blocking, it means something you said made the other person pause. Consider it a chance to slow down and ask better questions. This allows you to adjust the conversation to meet them where they are.
Compiled by Audrey Sellers
Source: A blog post from Science of People, a human behavior research lab and educational platform that provides science-backed strategies to improve communication.
