Effects of simulated predation on tonic immobility in Anolis carolinensis: The role of eye contact

Abstract

The importance of eyes and fabricated eye-like stimuli in prolonging tonic immobility in the lizard Anolis carolinensis was examined in four experiments. The direct gaze of an experimenter was found to prolong the duration of tonic immobility relative to an averted gaze. Detached glass eyes also produced a similar effect, although not as profoundly as the presence of a live experimenter. By varying pupil size, it was shown that the strongest effect was caused by an eye with a large black pupil, but that the absolute size of the eye was not significantly related to the increased durations of immobility. © 1977, The psychonomic Society, Inc.. All rights reserved.