Those at whom the robot gazed for longer took more turns speaking, those to whom Robovie sent acknowledging glances spoke less, and those who were ignored completely spoke the least.
Ariel Sinclair stood by the Ice Palace bar, demurely sipping a drink and acknowledging suggestive glances from other patrons with a shy smile.
Silent, knowing glances, fully acknowledging the pain ahead.
To be sure, Dower acknowledges, "at first glance it seems outlandish" to make this comparison.
"A lot of it is wasteful," Ms. Reich acknowledged as she glanced at a bag brimming with games and balls and stuffed animals with a lot of play left in them.
They stood 40 feet apart during player introductions, arms folded, stealing an occasional glance the other way without acknowledging each other's existence.
"Hardly acknowledging [the inmates] other than perhaps a glance and a smile or a nod, while our tour guide was talking to us about all the amazing and wonderful and life-changing opportunities" the jail offers, she said, "felt wrong".
Three conversational scenarios were also tested: addressing one participant while ignoring the other; addressing one participant while acknowledging the other as a bystander with quick glances; and addressing both participants equally, with equal amounts of eye contact.
The two boys exchanged guilty glances, and then the Mayor dismissed them, acknowledging that they'd gotten a "hell of a story".
"The head is a donation of a citizen," he said, glancing proudly at the bust, before quickly acknowledging that he was the citizen.
California is full of drivers everywhere acknowledging each other by winks and less-friendly gestures, by glances in the mirrors, as they catapult down the freeways.
