Emotional Indicators
High signal

Pupil Dilation

A widening of the pupils that can accompany interest, attraction or heightened arousal.

Body
Channel
High
Reliability
Moderate
Difficulty to Read
Example

Shown something they truly desire a person shows pupils that widen noticeably. The eyes open a fraction to take in more, a response that runs well below conscious control.

How to Read It

Dilated pupils can suggest genuine interest or strong engagement that words may conceal. Because the response is involuntary, it can hint at a reaction the person is not choosing to show.

A Word of Caution

Light levels control the pupils far more than emotion, so this cue is unreliable on its own. A dim room will widen the pupils of everyone present regardless of how they feel.