Why We Stare, Even When We Don’t Want To “When a face is distorted, we have no pattern to match that,” Rosenberg said. “All primates show this [staring] at something very different, something they have not evolved to see. They need to investigate further. ‘Are they one of us or not?’ In other species, when an animal looks very different, they get rejected.” The article is about why humans stare at disfigurements, but it may say something about why we stare at anyone who seems different. Previously: Seeing race: the Other-Race Effect.
posted by shetterly on Jun 22, 2009 - 39 comments

For your viewing pleasure, a rat staring contest.
posted by Blazecock Pileon on Feb 25, 2009 - 29 comments

The girl who stares (her only talent) is quickly becoming a youtube phenomenon. Participate in the demise of our culture and watch her do nothing.
posted by pwally on Jan 17, 2008 - 179 comments

I Like To Watch: A photographic record of cats transfixed; self-referential cats; cat Witnesses of Our Time; cat onlookers; cats gazing stupidly at infinity; lightly hypnotized brainpan-fried cats; feline couch potatoes; cats afflicted by the staring disease; briefly and easily amused cats; UN observer cats; guilty bystander cats. All in all, an extremely important investigation into the perennial question of how to hold a cat's attention. [Click on "Cats", funnily enough.]
posted by MiguelCardoso on Jun 21, 2004 - 10 comments