The gaze that makes democracy possible
What the white sclera of the human eye may have to do with the success of citizens’ assemblies
A single glance is enough. Before anyone has spoken, the people around the table already know where someone’s attention is directed. A woman by the window looks toward the speaker. An older man follows her gaze. A younger participant raises her eyebrows ever so slightly and nods almost imperceptibly. These are subtle moments, yet they may be among the most important prerequisites for people to find solutions together.
Remarkably, the white of the human eye may play a crucial role.
What appears to be a minor anatomical detail has intrigued evolutionary biologists for decades. The white sclera - the visible white part of the eyeball - distinguishes humans from almost all other primates. While chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans generally have dark sclerae, the human iris stands out sharply against a bright white background. As a result, it is exceptionally easy to tell where another person is looking.
Making cooperation easier
Why would evolution favor a feature that makes our attention so transparent to others?
One influential answer comes from the Cooperative Eye Hypothesis, developed by evolutionary anthropologists Brian Hare and Shiro Kobayashi. They argue that the conspicuous white sclera evolved because it made cooperation easier. By allowing others to detect gaze direction almost instantly, humans became better able to coordinate attention, share information, and solve problems collectively.
Not all researchers accept this explanation without reservation. Some suggest that the white sclera may instead be a by-product of other evolutionary processes or the result of sexual selection. Even so, there is broad agreement that humans possess an extraordinary ability to perceive where others are looking and to infer intentions, emotions, and states of mind from their gaze.
Shared intentionality
Developmental psychologist and evolutionary researcher Michael Tomasello places this ability within a broader framework. His research suggests that what makes humans unique is not intelligence alone, but the capacity for shared intentionality - the ability to develop common goals, direct attention toward the same objects, and coordinate actions accordingly. According to Tomasello, this capacity lies at the heart of human evolutionary success.
Viewed from this perspective, the white sclera is more than an anatomical curiosity. It may be part of a biological communication system that facilitates cooperation.
Trialling in citizens’ assemblies
This capacity matters far beyond hunting or toolmaking. It may also play an important role wherever modern democracies experiment with new forms of collective decision-making: citizens’ assemblies.
Citizens’ assemblies bring together randomly selected citizens from different social backgrounds, professions, generations, and political perspectives. Unlike parliamentary debates, their purpose is not to defeat opponents but to weigh evidence carefully, exchange experiences, and develop well-considered recommendations for public policy.
The power of nonverbal communication
It is precisely in these settings that the power of nonverbal communication becomes visible.
Who wants to speak? Who appears uncertain? Who seems convinced? Such information is often communicated within fractions of a second. Visible gaze direction allows participants to align their attention with one another. Psychologists refer to this process as joint attention, a fundamental prerequisite for collaborative learning and collective problem-solving.
Primate researcher Sarah Brosnan has likewise emphasized that cooperation depends on far more than mutual benefit. Trust, fairness, and the ability to interpret the behavior of others are equally essential. The perception of gaze direction supports precisely these social processes.
Synchronizing attention
As one participant in a citizens’ assembly presents an idea, the others do more than listen to the words being spoken. They simultaneously observe how everyone else reacts. Several people turn toward the same speaker. A quiet nod spreads around the table. Uncertainty becomes visible before it is voiced. Gradually, the group begins to synchronize its attention.
Cognitive scientist Hugo Mercier argues that reasoning is not merely an individual cognitive activity but a fundamentally social one. Arguments reveal their strength through discussion and critical evaluation by others. Good decisions often emerge when different perspectives are openly compared. Citizens’ assemblies are designed to create precisely this environment.
Understanding each other better
There is another important dimension. Visible gaze direction increases social transparency. When people can tell what others are attending to, they are better able to judge whether there is understanding, interest, confusion, or doubt. Trust is not created by eye contact alone, but visible attention makes trust easier to establish - a crucial ingredient of successful deliberation.
Of course, the color of the sclera does not determine whether a citizens’ assembly succeeds. Skilled facilitation, balanced information, and fair procedural rules remain indispensable. Human anatomy merely provides a biological foundation for an exceptionally effective form of nonverbal communication.
Evolutionary biology and democratic innovation
Yet the connection between evolutionary biology and democratic innovation offers a fascinating perspective. Perhaps deliberative democracy succeeds not only because of well-designed institutions and procedures. Perhaps it also draws upon capacities that evolved over hundreds of thousands of years of human history.
Michael Tomasello has argued that humanity’s greatest strength lies in its ability to think and act together. From this perspective, citizens’ assemblies are more than an institutional innovation. They may represent a modern expression of one of humanity’s oldest evolutionary achievements.
Social mechanisms from our ancestors
When citizens carefully watch one another, genuinely consider competing arguments, and gradually align their perspectives, they may be relying on the very same social mechanisms that once enabled our ancestors to share knowledge, resolve conflicts, and survive together.
Sometimes democracy begins not with a vote. But with a glance.
Note: This article was written with the help of AI