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In some non-Western cultures, maintaining eye contact is considered confrontational. If someone asks me a difficult question, I may concentrate better if I am not looking at them. It should not be assumed that more eye contact is always better.

I know, a friend of mine who grew up in India was talking about that teacher (with the very direct stare) and how creeped out that made her. Dh has commented on it as well. It does seem confrontational, and I grew up in the U.S.