Eye contact: A nonverbal determinant of speaker credibility

Abstract

Because it is hypothesized that eye contact contributes to a speaker's perceived credibility, and because there is a dearth of studies examining the effects of eye contact in a live public‐speaking situation, this study examined the effects of eye contact on speaker credibility in a live public‐speaking situation. Results indicated that an increase in the amount of eye contact generated by a speaker significantly increased the speaker's credibility in terms of qualification and honesty factors. Thus, this study provided documentation for the importance of eye contact in a public‐speaking situation.