Purpose
This exercise helps the delegates to understand the importance of eye contact and appreciate its social implications. People can also compare themselves with others in making eye contact which is usually an eye opener for some. The physical nature of the exercise and its light heartedness also makes it an ideal choice as an icebreaker.
Objective
Make a series of eye contacts with others and maintain it while moving.
What You Need
Unobstructed space where all delegates can participate in this exercise as one large group.
Setup
- Ask the delegates to stand in a circle.
- Ask them to keep their heads down and look at the floor.
- People should not speak during this exercise.
- On your signal, each person should look at other people in the circle.
- If an eye contact is made, both people should come forward and then swap positions while keeping the eye contact at all times until the swapping is completed. Remind delegates to move carefully as others will be doing the same thing.
- As soon as the swap is finished, they should make an eye contact with someone else and start the sequence again.
- Allow 5 minutes for this exercise and then ask everyone to stop.
- Follow with a discussion.
Timing
Explaining the Test: 5 minutes.
Activity: 5 minutes
Group Feedback: 10 minutes.
Discussion
What did you think of this exercise? Were you quick in making eye contact with people? Did you make eye contact with people who you liked most? Did you avoid certain people?
Some may feel it was difficult to make eye contact while others may suggest it was very easy. What does this imply?
Did you laugh as you kept looking at each other? Does direct prolonged eye contact create anxiety? Why is that? Why do we compensate by laughing? What are the implications of this in our daily life?