The Gen Z Stare on Reddit: Youth Nonverbal Communication in the Contemporary Era
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.11594/ijmaber.07.08.07Keywords:
Gen Z Stare, Generation Z, non-verbal communication, emotional avoidance, intergenerational misinterpretation, Reddit discussionsAbstract
The “Gen Z Stare” is a blank or expressionless stare given in response to situations where verbal reactions are expected. Based on online Reddit discussions, this study aims to identify (1) its contexts, (2) its motivation, (3) and its place in intergenerational miscommunication. The findings suggest that the stare is a form of nonverbal communication associated with emotional avoidance, digital socialization, and limited social skills. It commonly occurs under social pressure, in customer-service interactions, or when encountering “offensive” or “nonsensical” statements, and is usually caused by emotional fatigue, an anxiety freeze response, or a way of setting boundaries. Older generations frequently misinterpret it because of their difference in terms of communication norms and digital exposure. This study imparts a more critical understanding of the social and psychological factors associated with Gen Z communication practices and could substantiate further inquiry into comparable nonverbal expressions among younger generations.
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References
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AnarchyTaco19 (July 2025) What your thoughts on the supposed "Gen Z stare"? The "Gen Z stare" is another random thing people have recently come up with in an attempt to generalize an entire gen-eration. [Online forum post] RedditFrom https://www.reddit.com/r/AutismInWomen/comments/1m14hyb/what_your_thoughts_on_the_suppose d_gen_z_stare/
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Bluujacket (July 2025) What is the deal with the gen z stare? I’ve seen this happening for a while but never realized there was a term for it until now. [Online forum post] RedditFrom https://www.reddit.com/r/NoStupidQuestions/comments/1lzo8ck/what_is_the_deal_with_the_gen_z_stare/
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CakesNGames90 (July 2025) Coming from the view of a millennial middle and high school teacher: This is a direct result of your generation being stuck on screens more than other generations [Comment from online forum post Surviving the Gen Z Stare Has anyone else been seeing the discourse about the “Gen Z stare”? Have you experienced the Gen z stare??] Reddit From https://www.reddit.com/r/blackladies/comments/1lvkapo/comment/n26vuzn/
Celestial_Blue_Pearl (July 2025) So I was in the military not too long ago, and there for sure is different behavior with gen z. [Comment from online forum post En-countered what I think was a Gen Z stare, and I haven’t stopped thinking about it] RedditFrom https://www.reddit.com/r/bayarea/comments/1lxkas6/comment/n2odjqa/
Cook_croghan (August 2025) I’ve seen it from genz, and I think I know what it is, but it confuses the **** out of boomers/genx and a lot of millennials. [Online forum post] Reddit From [Archived URL]
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Hater4life22 (July 2025) I’m 28 so right on the cusp of Gen Z/Millennial and I’m going to break the mold and say I think this is ac-tually largely because people are no longer being trained to do their jobs [Comment from online forum post Surviv-ing the Gen Z Stare Has anyone else been seeing the discourse about the “Gen Z stare”? Have you experienced the Gen z stare??] Reddit From https://www.reddit.com/r/blackladies/comments/1lvkapo/comment/n26vuzn/
IcyWelcome9700 (September 2025) The "Gen Z stare" just makes you look incompetent or of low intelligence. [Online forum post] RedditFrom https://www.reddit.com/r/PetPeeves/com-ments/1nxb486/the_gen_z_stare_just_makes_you_look_incompetent/
Intelligent_Pop1173 (August 2025) I don’t ac-tually think it’s even meant to be rude in a lot of cases. It’s generally just being stu-pid and inexperienced socially. [Com-ment from online forum post People complaining about "The Gen Z stare" Ever since the dawn of time, older generations have considered younger generations un-motivated, distracted, and more or less braindead.] RedditFrom https://www.reddit.com/r/PetPeeves/comments/1m84zjk/comment/n4y9yst/
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Itsthethrowaway2 (July 2025) As someone who definitely has a gen z stare I’m glad someone coined this term lol. (though I don’t really think this is exclusive to gen z) [Comment from online forum post The Gen Z Stare Why do you think this phe-nomenon occurs among Generation Z?] RedditFrom https://www.reddit.com/r/GenZ/comments/1m0u1jl/comment/n3c3iza/
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Lacasadelmango (July 2025) As a collective, yall really need to log off the internet, go outside more and talk to people IRL. [Comment from online forum post Surviv-ing the Gen Z Stare Has anyone else been seeing the discourse about the “Gen Z stare”? Have you experienced the Gen z stare??] Reddit From https://www.reddit.com/r/blackladies/comments/1lvkapo/comment/n26vuzn/
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lotusmack (July 2025) As a Millenial, it's hard for me to believe that some of my class-mates have Gen Z kids. (We is old, we is tired, and we need a break. ROFL). I di-gress. [Comment from online forum post Surviving the Gen Z Stare Has anyone else been seeing the discourse about the “Gen Z stare”? Have you experienced the Gen z stare??] Reddit From https://www.reddit.com/r/blackladies/comments/1lvkapo/comment/n26vuzn/
Michael_G_Bordin (July 2025) I realized this as I went back to college in my 30s. The kids were just so damned afraid of looking like a fool by being wrong. [Comment from online forum post Encountered what I think was a Gen Z stare, and I ha-ven’t stopped thinking about it] Red-ditFrom https://www.reddit.com/r/bayarea/comments/1lxkas6/comment/n2odjqa/
MissHannahJ (August 2025) As a Gen-Z this generation is kinda bad at socializing and people just don’t want to admit it. [Online Forum post] RedditFrom https://www.reddit.com/r/GenZ/comments/1m8inns/as_a_genz_this_generation_is_kinda_bad_at/
Nikwillow (July 2025) As a gen z working cus-tomer service, I do the best I can to not seem deadpan. [Comment from online fo-rum post 'Gen Z stare' ] RedditFrom https://www.reddit.com/r/socialanxiety/comments/1lxhryq/gen_z_stare/
OmericanAutlaw (July 2025) It’s simple in my perception. It's a lack of communication skills and confidence. [Comment from online forum post The clearest explana-tion for “Gen Z Stare”? I sent this to my dad and I believe the underlying cause is a dopamine deficiency in our generation.] RedditFrom https://www.reddit.com/r/generationology/comments/1m2bd4e/comment/nm8i3wx/?context=3
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PuddingComplete3081 (July 2025) IDL being called “GenZ stare” just because I didn’t fake a reaction [Online forum post] Red-ditFrom https://www.reddit.com/r/I_DONT_LIKE/comments/1m0g6tq/idl_being_called_genz_stare_just_because_i_didnt/
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Red_Taco16 (July 2025) I’m 25/Gen Z and I definitely noticed this happening but I didn’t know there was a term for it. In my experience, I receive the stare at check-out. [Online forum post] Reddit From https://www.reddit.com/r/blackladies/comments/1lvkapo/comment/n26vuzn/
red286 (July 2025) I find it weird that people think it's unique to GenZ. [Comment from online forum post What is the deal with the gen z stare?] Reddit From https://www.reddit.com/r/NoStupidQuestions/comments/1lzo8ck/comment/n3402sw/
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Sen6ry (July 2025) this is so puzzling to me bc i'm gen z and i just have resting b*tch face. [Online forum post] Reddit From [Archived URL]
Shaftalope (July 2025) I thought the 'dead eyed stare' was gen x, we were doing it in the 80s, anyone else? [Comment from online forum post What is the deal with the gen z stare?] Reddit From https://www.reddit.com/r/NoStupidQuestions/comments/1lzo8ck/comment/n3402sw/
SherbertTurbulent404 (July 2025) Rbf is nor-mal though. They’re talking about speak-ing and replying back when someone says hello or thank you. [Comment from online forum post this is so puzzling to me bc i'm gen z and i just have resting b*tch face]. Reddit From [Archived URL]
Skylark7 (August 2025) I think it's just the GenZ version of the GenX eye roll. The difference is we got obnoxious behavior beat out of us before we left home. [Comment from online forum post The clearest explanation for “Gen Z Stare”? I sent this to my dad and I believe the un-derlying cause is a dopamine deficiency in our generation.] RedditFrom https://www.reddit.com/r/generationology/comments/1m2bd4e/comment/nm8i3wx/?context=3
Soundofsidhe (October 2025) I asked them what they thought about the Gen Z stare. [Online forum post] RedditFrom https://www.reddit.com/r/Professors/com-ments/1o8ovrc/i_asked_them_what_they_thought_about_the_gen_z/
Spacestonkz (July 2025) I'm a millennial pro-fessor and it's not truly a thing for young-er GenZ, elder genZ, millennials, zillenni-als, whatever. [Comment from
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Viviaana (August 2025) it has nothing to do with working retail, people are seeing this stare from people in all situations, it's from a lack of social skills. [Comment from online forum post People complain-ing about "The Gen Z stare" Ever since the dawn of time, older generations have con-sidered younger generations unmotivated, distracted, and more or less braindead.] Reddit From https://www.reddit.com/r/PetPeeves/comments/1m84zjk/comment/n4y9yst/
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Wild-Lecture-2080 (October 2025) In my ex-perience, they usually stare when they don't know what to do, whether other people didn't give them the answer they were expecting. [Comment from online forum post The clearest explanation for “Gen Z Stare”? I sent this to my dad and I believe the underlying cause is a dopa-mine deficiency in our generation.] Red-ditFrom https://www.reddit.com/r/generationology/comments/1m2bd4e/comment/nm8i3wx/?context=3
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Copyright (c) 2026 Cleone Fiona Calalo, Bella Antoni Javier, Charlize Sofia Las, Shyannah Olegario, Angelo Yzmael Salces, Lailah Gabrienne Sarmiento, De. Leslie Anne Liwanag, Lois Mauri Anne Liwanag
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