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From: Steve Hood
Date: 10/1/03
Time: 4:13:29 PM
Remote Name: 199.33.133.50
Hi, Tim
Thanks for your insights.
The pragmatic issues are important. In addition, there is the idea that it is "polite" to look at the person with whom you are conversing and it is impolite to have poor eye contact. This is true not only for PWS, but for everyone. A fluent person who has poor eye contact during a job interview will likely appear distant, embarrassed, shy, ill-at-ease, uncertain, less confident, etc....... PWS do not have a corner on the market -- but they certainly have an added burden to bear because they are often attaching additional emotions to their stuttering: embarrassment, guilt, shame, denial, etc.....
Your example of when you stutter for a client, with and without eye contact, is a good one. By showing that YOU as the PWS can accept yourself, and be more open and tolerant, it helps the listener to react in the same manner. If you look uneasy, then your listener will likely react with uneasiness as well. So eye contact becomes a two-way street.
I am glad you shared your perpsective on this.
Steve Hood