Learning From The Pupil
Offer a young kid a handful of candies and sweets........ and his eyes will open wide with pleasure and surprise. In fact, they will open in two quite distinct ways. Not only will the eyelids widen, but his pupils, which control the amount of light entering the eye, will dilate as well.
By observing the way the pupil behaves, psychologists learn much about our true reactions to events-no matter what we say we feel and however we try to disguise our feelings. Just as the pupil dilates in pleasure, it shrinks when facing something distasteful or frightening........ a picture of a badly mutilated dead body.
Watching the pupil at work can reveal a lot....... it seems that the pupil is a window on the way are minds work.
Because humans have no control over the way the pupils behave, they are a kind of lie detector. In one test, scientists found that the pupils of the eyes of women who claimed to be unaffected by photographs of male models gave them away. Their pupils dilated when the women actually looked at the pictures.
Some magicians may not be particularly skilled with a pack of cards but can tell when a hidden card turns up......... the pupils of the person who put it in the pack dilate in recognition.
Other uses are more practical. Psychologists are employing the technique when exploring people's attitudes towards some particular things in life. Perhaps the broadest application is in testing reactions to new products, packaging, and advertising. When a new item appears on the supermarket shelves, it may be available because it made someone's eyes light up
So next time you are in doubt about where you stand in that special girl's life......... just peek into her eyes and you'll probably have the answer.
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