Thread: The Sense Of Being Stared At

Think of it this way: The more you look at people, the more they'll be staring at you. Even if eye contacts are extremely fast, we all have the ability to perceive them.

Now, if you think people are staring at you, you'll probably try to verify your hypothesis. You'll look at them, and they'll respond with an eye contact. Hence, you'll confirm your initial thoughts. I don't think it's an extra sense at all, it's just a little subtlety our mind creates.

I can always tell if there's someone behind me because the background sounds change.

Peripheral vision? Trust me, you can't miss someone staring at you even from a distance.

I generally know if theres someone in a room with me, even if my back is turned. Not all the time obviously, but for examply I'm very close to my girlfriend (who isn't) and I can be sitting in front of the TV banging away on my PS2 controller, intensely involved in putting the ball through Edwin Van de Sar's legs on FIFA 07, and she can walk quietly in behind me and I'll know she's there.

Maybe I can feel her aura, or the pressure in the room changes, or my body is accustomed to her smell or something, but 99% of the time I can tell she's there.

I've never been in a situation when a stranger has walked quietly into a room behind me without seeing them, so I'm not sure how I'd react.

What about that feeling you get when someone is watching you, like if you're walking alone in a forest you get all freaked out? Maybe there's evil wood nymphs or something.

Search on Rupert Sheldrake and check out the research he has done - with the same title as this thread, among other things.

Another good one is Dogs Who Know When Their Owners Are Coming Home.

And then there's this parrot - but that's another story.

Originally Posted by pj

Search on Rupert Sheldrake and check out the research he has done - with the same title as this thread, among other things.

Another good one is Dogs Who Know When Their Owners Are Coming Home.

And then there's this parrot - but that's another story.
[/b]

I knew the title of this thread sounded familiar. I forgot it was Sheldrake. Thanks, pj, I'm going to have to go read that article again, sometime. It's been a while.

Notice that evolution let us be very good at detecting things sneaking up on you...