Eye-rolling
Eye-rolling is a gesture in which a person briefly turns their eyes upward, often in an arcing motion from one side to the other. In the Anglosphere, it has been identified as a passive-aggressive response to an undesirable situation or person. The gesture is used to disagree or dismiss or express contempt for the targeted person without physical contact.[1]
History
[edit]Eye-rolling has been present in literature since at least the reign of Augustus, appearing in book 12, line 939 of Vergil's Aeneid, "... volvens oculos...".[2] William Shakespeare periodically would use the gesture in his works to portray lust or passion for another character, as used in his poem The Rape of Lucrece.[1][3]
In society
[edit]Eye-rolling is one of the most common forms of non-verbal communication among humans.[4][5] A study of teenage girls in the eastern US found the eye-roll gesture to be their most common expression of displeasure. Thirteen-year-old girls use eye-rolling as the main sign of aggression towards their peers in social situations. Eye-rolling is often accompanied by crossing of the arms and throwing the head or body back in an increased effort to symbolise avoidance or displeasure.[6]
A study conducted by John Gottman states that contemptuous behaviours like eye-rolling is the top factor of predicting divorce, followed by criticism, defensiveness, and stonewalling.[7]
In 2010, members of the city council of Elmhurst, Illinois, wished to make a law outlawing eye-rolling.[8]
Evolution
[edit]There has been much speculation about the hypothesis that eye-rolling is an evolutionary trait of women, which would explain why it is performed more by women than their male counterparts. Psychologists suggest that it was developed as "a low-risk way to express aggression and disapproval". Women in the past were more motivated to use survival tactics that did not involve physical violence in conflict including cut-eye, or side-eye, likely related to maternal instincts.[9] The action of looking away in rejection or disapproval has been traced to many different cultures, who use eye-rolling for similar purposes, suggesting that it is a somewhat innate reaction to unpleasant stimuli.[10]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- 1 2 O'Connor, Roisin (18 February 2016). "Why do people roll their eyes? Psychologist suggests theories for passive-aggressive sign in teenage girls". The Independent. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
- ↑ "P. Vergilius Maro, Aeneid, Book 12, line 919". www.perseus.tufts.edu. Retrieved 2026-01-27.
- ↑ "THE RAPE OF LUCRECE". shakespeare.mit.edu. Retrieved 2017-11-28.
- ↑ LaFrance, Adrienne (May 11, 2016). "Why 13-Year-Old Girls Are the Queens of Eye-Rolling". The Atlantic. Retrieved October 26, 2017.
- ↑ Wickman, Forrest (16 January 2013). "Oh, Please: When did we start rolling our eyes to express contempt?". Slate. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ↑ Kahlbaugh, Patricia E.; Haviland, Jeannette M. (1994). "Nonverbal communication between parents and adolescents: A study of approach and avoidance behaviours". Journal of Nonverbal Behaviour. 18 (1): 91–113. doi:10.1007/bf02169080. S2CID 15487200.
- ↑ Wong, Brittany (9 May 2016). "This Behaviour Is The #1 Predictor Of Divorce, And You're Guilty Of It". Huffington Post. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
- ↑ "Illinois Town Wants To Outlaw Eye-Rolling". 21 July 2010. Archived from the original on 1 November 2017. Retrieved 22 September 2025.
- ↑ Bess, Gabby (18 February 2016). "Evolution Explains Why Women Love Rolling Their Eyes So Much". Broadly - Vice. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
- ↑ Wickman, Forrest (15 January 2013). "When Did We Start Rolling Our Eyes to Express Contempt?". Slate. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
External links
[edit]
Media related to Rolling eyes at Wikimedia Commons
