Why Are Eyes Deemed "Windows to the Soul"?

[Mobiboros]

I also noticed that the very vindictive, aggressive, deceitful and selfish people that I unfortunately came across on occasion (and were likely sociopaths on retrospect) had something very wrong in the way they expressed themselves through their eyes -

Once again, please stop using specific psych terms for random possibly disagreeable traits. Just because someone is vindictive, aggressive, deceitful or selfish doesn't make them sociopaths. Everyone everywhere evidences those traits to some degree.

they were either bulging, glassy and reptilian if they were light blue/blue coloured eyes or overtly dark, shifty and beady if hazel/brown in colour. The way their eyes moved about was somewhat uncomfortable as well.

Reptilian? These people have vertical slit eyes with an overlarge iris, almost no visible sclera and possibly extra transparent membranes to protect their eyes? WTF are you talking about?

[Big Orange]

Once again, please stop using specific psych terms for random possibly disagreeable traits. Just because someone is vindictive, aggressive, deceitful or selfish doesn't make them sociopaths. Everyone everywhere evidences those traits to some degree.

I agree most arsebags are not really clinically sociopaths and I shouldn't label any difficult or unpleasant person as such, but the people in my life who I thought were sociopathic were in a small minority anyway, with their unpleasantness both persistent and integral with their character (ie they were not occasionally awful or were slightly awful).

Reptilian? These people have vertical slit eyes with an overlarge iris, almost no visible sclera and possibly extra transparent membranes to protect their eyes? WTF are you talking about?

I was being too over the top and metaphorical in the description of people who have a very harsh or predatory stare - all of the time. I know when my dad is angry in the way his eyes change, but people who are probably sociopathic or have some other personality disorder appear angry in their eyes when the rest of their body stance and facial expression is not.

[Surlethe]

I was being too over the top and metaphorical in the description of people who have a very harsh or predatory stare - all of the time. I know when my dad is angry in the way his eyes change, but people who are probably sociopathic or have some other personality disorder appear angry in their eyes when the rest of their body stance and facial expression is not.

You are either spouting "facts" that you've made up entirely or you're committing a hasty generalization fallacy. Is there some reason sociopaths must have "angry eyes" (whatever those are)?

[Ender]

People who think these cues can't be manipulated are simply idiots.

Or they have clinically studied human body language. You can, with enough discipline and focus, control all your nonverbal signs except those of your eyes. Pupil size is totally involuntary, yet how our eyes react is closely tied to our emotions to the point where manipulating the eyes artificially can induce hormone release to generate certain feelings. (hence why clubs have dim lights - the pupils expand, and it tied in with endorphin release and our reactions to overlarge pupils to combine to induce affection, making it more likely for you to hook up.)

My copy is boxed up in storage, but this book covers it all very well.

[Stark]

Or they have clinically studied human body language. You can, with enough discipline and focus, control all your nonverbal signs except those of your eyes. Pupil size is totally involuntary, yet how our eyes react is closely tied to our emotions to the point where manipulating the eyes artificially can induce hormone release to generate certain feelings. (hence why clubs have dim lights - the pupils expand, and it tied in with endorphin release and our reactions to overlarge pupils to combine to induce affection, making it more likely for you to hook up.)

My copy is boxed up in storage, but this book covers it all very well.

'Can't be manipulated' is hardly disproven by 'can't be manipulated perfectly'. Many of the cues used (or expected) by people to detect dishonesty are easy to control. The fact that some body language is involuntary doesn't affect this statement.

Hell, I *am* autistic, and it's hard for me to maintain eye contact in general. However, it's trivial to project 'honest sincerity' with simple use of eye contact, tone, and open or passive body language. So what if my pupils give away my anxiety?

[Big Orange]

People who think these cues can't be manipulated are simply idiots.

Or they have clinically studied human body language. You can, with enough discipline and focus, control all your nonverbal signs except those of your eyes. Pupil size is totally involuntary, yet how our eyes react is closely tied to our emotions to the point where manipulating the eyes artificially can induce hormone release to generate certain feelings. (hence why clubs have dim lights - the pupils expand, and it tied in with endorphin release and our reactions to overlarge pupils to combine to induce affection, making it more likely for you to hook up.)

In the many occasions where my mum is drunk and angry, her pupils get awfully wide and on a handful of occasions, where I've come across instintively hostile people (possibly these so-called "sociopaths") their eye pupils seem wider than normal as well (making their eyes seem reptile or goat like I suppose).

My copy is boxed up in storage, but this book covers it all very well.

I can vaguely remember a BBC documentary where you had these body language experts gauge the character of a famous celebrity or politician in public appearances by picking up on their general body language and gestures.

[Mobiboros]

but people who are probably sociopathic or have some other personality disorder appear angry in their eyes when the rest of their body stance and facial expression is not.

This is just not true. You can say "The people I know who've had anger problems and evidenced disagreeable behavior have shown it in their eyes." but you can't claim them to be sociopaths, sociopathic, as you aren't qualified to make that diagnosis. And you're not qualified to state that all sociopaths/those who have sociopathic traits evidence it in their eyes.

It's not just that your statements are over the top, they are just plain wrong.

[Oni Koneko Damien]

I am slightly puzzled why there is this saying: 'the eyes are windows to soul'. How so, exactly?

Because it's easier to say that than it is to say "The region of muscles surrounding the eyes, including but not limited to the eyelids, brows, area between the brows, area between the sides of the eyes and the ears, and the high-cheek areas, along with the pupils of the eyes themselves, are highly reactive to one's emotional state, and thus are good indicators of how one truly feels...unless they are incredibly adept at controlling their own muscular motions."

Short answer: Proverbs are vague and inaccurate, but occasionally have a grain of truth to them.

Or they have clinically studied human body language. You can, with enough discipline and focus, control all your nonverbal signs except those of your eyes. Pupil size is totally involuntary,

Which is also why professional poker-players, con-men, and others whose livelihoods depend on the ability to convincingly bluff often wear sunglasses to conceal the size of their pupils.