Is Your Gaze Deceiving You? How Stereoscopic Vision Affects Social Perception

Elliot Brynn in Mind & Education August 2025 • 4 min read.

"Uncover the surprising ways 3D vision and emotional cues influence how we perceive eye contact and social interactions."

Gaze perception is crucial for social interactions, influencing how we understand attention, emotions, and intentions. Most studies use monoscopic (2D) images, but these don't fully replicate real-life viewing conditions. In the real world, our eyes perceive slightly different images, a phenomenon known as stereoscopic vision (3D), which can affect how we interpret social cues.

A recent study published in the Journal of Vision sheds light on the differences between monoscopic and stereoscopic gaze perception. Researchers Jussi Hakala, Jari Kätsyri, Tapio Takala, and Jukka Häkkinen investigated how interaxial distance (the distance between the viewpoints of two cameras capturing a 3D image) and emotional facial expressions influence our perception of gaze. Their findings reveal surprising insights into how we interpret social cues in three dimensions.

This article breaks down the study's key findings, explaining how stereoscopic vision changes our understanding of eye contact and emotional expressions. By exploring these insights, we can better understand the complexities of social perception and improve our interactions in everyday life.

Monoscopic vs. Stereoscopic Vision: What's the Difference in Gaze Perception?

Surreal illustration of eyes perceiving 2D and 3D realities.

In the world of visual perception, there's a significant difference between how we see in two dimensions (monoscopic) and three dimensions (stereoscopic). Monoscopic vision, like looking at a photograph, presents the same image to both eyes. Stereoscopic vision, on the other hand, uses the slight difference between the images seen by each eye to create a sense of depth and realism. This difference has profound implications for how we perceive gaze.

Think about it this way: when someone looks directly at you in real life (or in a stereoscopic display), only one of your eyes is truly receiving that direct gaze. The other eye sees a slightly averted gaze due to the natural distance between your eyes. In contrast, a monoscopic image presents a direct gaze to both eyes simultaneously, which is not how we typically experience it in reality. This discrepancy can alter our perception of social cues, making monoscopic direct gaze feel somewhat artificial.

Monoscopic Vision: Presents the same image to both eyes, often used in photographs and 2D displays.
Stereoscopic Vision: Presents slightly different images to each eye, creating a sense of depth and realism, mimicking real-life vision.
Interaxial Distance: The distance between the viewpoints of two cameras capturing a 3D image, influencing the perceived depth and realism of the scene.

The Journal of Vision study examined how these differences affect our judgments about gaze direction and mutual gaze (eye contact). By using stereoscopic images with varying interaxial distances, the researchers simulated different levels of 3D depth, allowing them to measure how these variations change our perceptions.

The Future of Gaze Perception Research

Understanding how we perceive gaze in both monoscopic and stereoscopic conditions is crucial for creating more realistic and engaging virtual experiences. As technology advances, and as virtual and augmented reality become more prevalent, accounting for the nuances of stereoscopic vision will be essential for designing socially intelligent systems. The research highlighted here underscores the complexities of social perception and paves the way for future investigations into the neural mechanisms underlying these processes.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1167/16.9.5, Alternate LINK

Title: Perception Of Stereoscopic Direct Gaze: The Effects Of Interaxial Distance And Emotional Facial Expressions

Subject: Sensory Systems

Journal: Journal of Vision

Publisher: Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO)

Authors: Jussi Hakala, Jari Kätsyri, Tapio Takala, Jukka Häkkinen

Published: 2016-07-21

Everything You Need To Know

What is the key difference between Monoscopic and Stereoscopic Vision, and how does it impact gaze perception?

The primary difference lies in how each type of vision presents images to the eyes. **Monoscopic Vision**, common in 2D displays and photographs, shows the same image to both eyes. In contrast, **Stereoscopic Vision** provides slightly different images to each eye, creating a sense of depth and realism. This difference profoundly affects gaze perception. In real-life situations, or with **Stereoscopic Vision**, only one eye truly receives a direct gaze, while the other sees a slightly averted gaze. **Monoscopic Vision** presents a direct gaze to both eyes simultaneously, which is not how we typically experience it, potentially making the gaze appear artificial.

How does Interaxial Distance influence the perception of gaze in Stereoscopic Vision?

**Interaxial Distance**, the distance between the viewpoints of two cameras capturing a 3D image, directly affects the perceived depth and realism within **Stereoscopic Vision**. The *Journal of Vision* study used varying **Interaxial Distances** to simulate different levels of 3D depth. This allowed researchers to measure how these variations changed perceptions of gaze direction and mutual gaze (eye contact). A greater **Interaxial Distance** can enhance the 3D effect, thereby influencing how accurately a viewer perceives the direction of someone's gaze and whether they feel like they are making eye contact.

What role does the Journal of Vision study play in understanding gaze perception, and who were the researchers involved?

The study published in the *Journal of Vision* by researchers **Jussi Hakala, Jari Kätsyri, Tapio Takala, and Jukka Häkkinen** is pivotal in understanding the nuances of gaze perception. This research focused on how **Stereoscopic Vision** alters our interpretation of social cues, particularly eye contact and emotional expressions. The study examined how different **Interaxial Distances** in 3D images influence gaze perception, revealing surprising insights into how we interpret social cues in three dimensions. It highlights the complexities of social perception and paves the way for future investigations into the neural mechanisms underlying these processes.

Why is understanding Stereoscopic Vision important for the future of virtual and augmented reality?

Understanding **Stereoscopic Vision** is crucial for creating more realistic and engaging virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR) experiences. As these technologies advance, accounting for the subtleties of **Stereoscopic Vision** will be essential for designing socially intelligent systems. Because real-world vision is, by nature, stereoscopic, ignoring the differences in gaze perception between **Monoscopic** and **Stereoscopic Vision** could make VR/AR interactions feel unnatural. By incorporating the insights from studies like the one in the *Journal of Vision*, developers can create virtual environments where social cues, such as eye contact, feel more genuine and intuitive.

How does Stereoscopic Vision affect our interpretation of emotional expressions during social interactions?

The research suggests that **Stereoscopic Vision** changes how we interpret emotional expressions during social interactions. Although the specific mechanisms are not detailed in the provided text, the study in the *Journal of Vision* investigated how emotional facial expressions influence our perception of gaze within a 3D environment. This implies that the realism created by **Stereoscopic Vision** allows for a more nuanced understanding of emotional cues, potentially leading to a different interpretation of a person's emotional state compared to viewing a **Monoscopic** image. The slight differences in images reaching each eye in **Stereoscopic Vision**, coupled with varying **Interaxial Distances**, can influence how we perceive both gaze direction and the emotions expressed, impacting the overall impression of social interactions.