Visual interaction in schizophrenic patients: the timing of looks.

Previous research has suggested that schizophrenic patients engage in very little Looking and eye-contact, at least in "personal" conversations. As yet, however, we know nothing about the precise timing of their Looks, even though this has important clinical implications. Data from three studies are presented and no evidence of abnormality is found. It is concluded that, taken together, findings from visual interaction suggest not that schizophrenic patients behave in a socially unskilled way as has sometimes been argued, but simply that they are embarassed by "personal" conversations and, like perfectly healthy people who are embarrassed, respond by averting the gaze.