Eyes as windows to the soul: Gazing behavior is related to personality

Gazing is a fundamental human behavior with important cognitive, affective, motivational, and social underpinnings that is likely to have produced individual differences linking it to major personality traits. If traits play a substantial role in gazing, they should predict eye movement parameters above and beyond stimuli without meaningful and topical information. The current eye-tracking study (N = 242) demonstrated with linear mixed models that personality (Big Five, Behavioral Inhibition System/Behavioral Activation System) predicts number of fixations, mean fixation duration, and dwelling time in two different abstract animations. Specifically, neuroticism, extraversion, openness, and the Behavioral Activation System were related to eye movement parameters. Prospective research in studying links between dispositions and gazing is discussed.

► Gazing is a fundamental human behavior is linked to personality and temperament.
► An eye-tracking study (N = 242) with abstract stimulus material was employed.
► Neuroticism, extraversion, openness, and BAS were related to gazing.
► Trait-gazing links can provide theoretically and practically interesting insights.