For the first time, a new study has revealed how and when we make eye contact -- not just the act itself -- plays a crucial role in how we understand and respond to others, including robots.

Led by cognitive neuroscientist Dr Nathan Caruana, researchers from the HAVIC Lab at Flinders University asked 137 participants to complete a block-building task with a virtual partner.

They discovered that the most effective way to signal a request was through a specific gaze sequence: looking at an object, making eye contact, then looking back at the same object. This timing made people most likely to interpret the gaze as a call for help.

Dr Caruana says that identifying these key patterns in eye contact offers new insights into how we process social cues in face-to-face interactions, paving the way for smarter, more human-centered technology.

"We found that it's not just how often someone looks at you, or if they look at you last in a sequence of eye movements but the context of their eye movements that makes that behavior appear communicative and relevant," says Dr Caruana, from the College of Education, Psychology and Social Work.

"And what's fascinating is that people responded the same way whether the gaze behavior is observed from a human or a robot.

"Our findings have helped to decode one of our most instinctive behaviors and how it can be used to build better connections whether you're talking to a teammate, a robot, or someone who communicates differently.

"It aligns with our earlier work showing that the human brain is broadly tuned to see and respond to social information and that humans are primed to effectively communicate and understand robots and virtual agents if they display the non-verbal gestures we are used to navigating in our everyday interactions with other people."

The authors say the research can directly inform how we build social robots and virtual assistants that are becoming ever more ubiquitous in our schools, workplaces and homes, while also having broader implications beyond tech.

"Understanding how eye contact works could improve non-verbal communication training in high-pressure settings like sports, defense, and noisy workplaces," says Dr Caruana.

"It could also support people who rely heavily on visual cues, such as those who are hearing-impaired or autistic."

The team is now expanding the research to explore other factors that shape how we interpret gaze, such as the duration of eye contact, repeated looks, and our beliefs about who or what we are interacting with (human, AI, or computer-controlled).

The HAVIC Lab is currently conducting several applied studies exploring how humans perceive and interact with social robots in various settings, including education and manufacturing.

"These subtle signals are the building blocks of social connection," says Dr Caruana.

"By understanding them better, we can create technologies and training that help people connect more clearly and confidently."

The HAVIC Lab is affiliated with the Flinders Institute for Mental Health and Wellbeing and a founding partner of the Flinders Autism Research Initiative.

Acknowledgements: Authors were supported by an Experimental Psychology Society small grant.

Read more …It’s not that you look—it’s when: The hidden power of eye contact

Insomnia could explain why adults with ADHD traits report having a lower quality of life, according to new research led by the University of Southampton and the Netherlands Institute of Neuroscience.

A study published on July 15 in BMJ Mental Health found that having higher ADHD traits was associated with a lower quality of life and that insomnia could be part of the reason why.

At least one in four people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) report having a sleep disorder, with insomnia being the most common of these.

"Our findings show a link between ADHD traits, insomnia severity, and reduced life satisfaction," says Dr Sarah L. Chellappa, Associate Professor in Psychology at the University of Southampton and senior author on the research paper.

"We know that sleep disruption can impact neurobehavioral and cognitive systems, including attention and emotional regulation. At the same time, sleep disruption may arise from ADHD-related impulsivity and hyperactivity, suggesting a reinforcing cycle between sleep disorders and ADHD."

Researchers from the University of Southampton and the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience (Prof Eus Van Someren) examined data from the Netherlands Sleep Registry, an online survey with more than ten thousand adult participants.

The team analysed responses from 1,364 participants who had answered questions about ADHD traits, sleep disturbances, circadian factors, depression, and quality of life.

They found ADHD traits were associated with worse depression, more severe insomnia, lower sleep quality, and a preference for going to bed and waking up later.

ADHD and insomnia severity both predicted a lower quality of life, with analysis suggesting insomnia was the potential link in this association.

"Adults with ADHD traits may be more likely to have low sleep quality, insomnia complaints, and low mood levels, all of which lead to reduced life satisfaction," says Professor Samuele Cortese, a co-author on the paper, also from the University of Southampton.

"There needs to be more research to understand this complex interplay. By improving our understanding, we could uncover treatment options that improve the quality of life of people with ADHD. For instance, targeting insomnia complaints in individuals with higher ADHD traits, with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia or Sleep Restriction therapy may help improve their quality of life."

The paper Associations of ADHD symptom severity, sleep/circadian factors, depression, and quality of life is published in BMJ Mental Health and is available online.

The research was supported by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research and the European Research Council.

Read more …Can’t sleep, can’t focus, can’t thrive? ADHD and insomnia may be a vicious cycle

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