They avoid eye contact to avoid being seen as vulnerable & hostile. Most importantly, they're dishonest and it's a natural thing to steal eye contact while lying. Sometimes, even when they show their fake love, they can't make eye contact.
Narcissists are always looking at the external, and they will want to see in your eyes that you adore them and accept them as being the incredible person they have projected. Perhaps most importantly, they are seeking validation.
The narcissist engages in sustained and piercing eye contact and normally refrains from bodily contact, physical proximity, or from entering in a discussion unless from a state of condescension, superiority and faked "magnanimity and largesse".
We believe that dimensions are key for narcissistic individuals who need to be perceived in a grandiose light. Thus, narcissistic individuals who strive for entitlement and admiration might find that being transparent to others (especially on positive dimensions) could be a way to reinforce their grandiose aspect.
Narcissists look away when they're not interested in you because they're only interested in themselves. They'll give you a lot of attention and make you feel special when they want something from you, but as soon as they don't need you anymore, they'll quickly lose interest and look away.
Thus, narcissists may pay special attention to their appearance, leading to observable manifestations such as matching, fashionable clothes, and a tidy, organized appearance. Another characteristic of narcissists that might affect their physical appearance is their desire to be the center of attention.
The cerebral cortex has also been found to be less developed in narcissists and this area is responsible for memory, emotions and behaviour. Therefore the narcissist seems to move on so fast because their emotions are not as deep as ours but also, they don't form memories in the same way the rest of us do.
They can't look in your eyes because you know all his flaws, and they can't bear to face their imperfections. They also fear that you'll see through their lies by looking at their face, which can actually happens. If a narcissist is avoiding eye contact, it's because he's hiding something.
He doesn't want you to know you are lovable and have power in the relationship. Your narcissist wants you to feel small, unlovable, powerless, and without value. This is how he controls you.
In general, eyebrows were perceived as a strong — and accurate — indicator of someone's narcissism. According to the study, a pair of eyebrows appear more or less narcissistic based on three key factors: distinctiveness, grooming, and perceived femininity.
Narcissists tend to display exaggerated body language and facial expressions. The 1990 study on conversational narcissism also found that narcissists tend to be overly dramatic in their hand gestures and facial expressions. They may also speak in a loud tone of voice.
What many don't realize is that narcissists deliberately withhold attention and affection sporadically throughout the relationship to maintain the victim's addiction to them.
Narcissists do enjoy looking at themselves in the mirror. They may spend more time grooming themselves to bolster their grandiose self-images. In this way, narcissists may be more prone to self-objectify—and identify with and to base their self-worth on their external appearance, instead of their character.
Mirroring is a tactic many narcissists and other manipulative people often employ in order to ingratiate themselves. They reflect idealized versions of their targets back to them. In a way, they get you to fall in love with a simulacrum of the best version of yourself.
Their eyes go from their natural colour into something so dark, so devoid of any human emotion, you become paralysed. This narcissistic stare is often referred to as a sociopathic stare, “death stare”, or “reptilian stare”, and is described as “pure evil”.
They lack a psychological trait known as Object Constancy, so they can't stay emotionally connected to someone who is not physically close. In other words, when you're out of sight, you're (mostly) out of mind. But, even when they've captured their new supply, their thoughts will land, occasionally, fleetingly, on you.
If there's one thing narcissists hate, it's being told what to do. When you push them into a situation where they have to answer to someone else, it's like their own personal hell. Figure out a way where you can get the narcissist in your life to be underneath an authority figure to really watch them squirm.
There are so many reasons why he is avoiding eye contact with you. It could be because he is shy, doesn't know that you want to make eye contact, or because he is hiding something from you. In any case, you have a role to play in making sure that he is comfortable enough around you.
Depending on the circumstances, you may appear to be submissive or overly dominant. Generally, a lack of eye contact when someone is speaking communicates submission, while avoiding eye contact when questioned or queried indicates deceit. The balance between too little eye contact and too much is delicate.
The narcissist is hurt because usually there wouldn't be anyone to give them the attention and satisfaction they would get from their partner, not until the no contact phase is over or they find another person to work their “magic” on. So, does a narcissist miss you after no contact? In many cases, they will.
Long term exposure to abuse can therefore lead to new neural pathways being formed which simply bypass emotions completely. It's protective evolution of the brain. And means that narcissists never feel hurt, pain or love. Therefore they can move on without a care in the world.
Once they don't need you to fuel their ego anymore, a narcissist will discard and abandon you. Also, if you decide to stand for yourself, set boundaries, and ask for reciprocity, a narcissist will discard you with no apology, empathy, or remorse.
A tactic that narcissists will often use once they realize that they've lost control over you is self-victimization. When a narcissist victimizes themselves it means that they label themselves as victims and blame their problems on external factors.