Scientists have revealed that flashing a stranger a coy smile or even just making eye contact can have a huge impact on their feelings, the Daily Mail reported.

Researchers have conducted tests on hundreds of students to find out how tiny gestures can affect people -- and found how even the smallest amount of eye contact made them feel connected to others.

"Ostracism is painful," said chief researcher Eric Wesselmann, a social psychologist at Purdue University.

The team hopes the results can help explain why people often feel lonely in large cities where people rarely make eye contact.

(China.org.cn June 10, 2012)

據英國《每日郵報》報道，科學家發現，對陌生人施以微笑，或僅僅來個眼神交流，都會給對方帶來巨大的感情沖擊。

研究人員對數百名學生進行測驗后發現，細微的手勢，甚至是微妙的眼神交流，都會使對方感覺有親近感。

美國普渡大學社會心理學家、該研究帶頭人埃里克·韋塞爾曼說：“被孤立是很痛苦的。”

大城市的市民很少進行眼神交流，該團隊希望他們的研究成果有助于解釋人們孤獨的原因。