Awkward Stare | Brain Games

we’ve rigged a barbershop with hidden
cameras and filled it with actors who
are all queued to stare at an unknowing
test subject at the same time the
question is how will he respond in the
face of this unwanted attention
do you think he’ll ditch his haircut and
take a walk or will he continue to put
up with these staring strangers yeah the
staring faces freak this guy out so much
he was ready to throw in the towel now
it’s time for our second customer to
take the hot seat
Santa we’re gonna make you look handsome
so what do you think this guy’s response
will be once everyone in the barber shop
begins to stare at him and right in the
face just excuse me I gotta get my
scissors please we’ll find out in three
two one
get a little closer don’t be shy alright
nobody knows that commercial no no no I
usually start sweating like this he’s
sweating so how can a few staring faces
make someone so nervous they begin to
sweat faces are tools of social
expression and can be used to register
disgust happiness judgment are concerned
to other members of the group but face
is also telegraphed to others how they
should feel in this experiment staring
conveyed to our subjects that they’ve
done something wrong and had upset the
other members of the group this
nonverbal method of communicating
disapproval dates back to pre language
humans and is just as effective today so
if I’m sitting there and a bunch of
people in a room starts staring at me
I’m gonna wonder what did I do wrong
well and that feeling that you did
something wrong can increase stress
levels releasing adrenaline and cortisol
which can cause you to breathe faster
make your pulse quicken and even raise
your body temperature all from having
some unwanted eyes on you
now that you know how your body responds
to being stared at how do you think some
other customers will react
you