Some say the Gen Z stare signals poor communication and social skills. Psychologists and generational experts told BI that's not necessarily the case.

This week's discourse has revolved around the so-called "Gen Z stare" in professional and retail environments. But what are people really talking about?

Cultural habits shift from generation to generation, and a notable Gen-Z social trait may actually be our fault.

Millennials and Gen Z are having it out on TikTok over this facial expression. Here’s everything to know about what the 'Gen Z stare' is and why everyone is up in arms about it.

Millennial TikTok creators claim that Gen Z respond to basic questions and small talk with the ‘Gen Z stare'—here’s the TikTok debate, explained.

Karli Mayer, a 25-year-old dental hygiene student in Denver, Colorado, said she will unleash her “Gen Z stare” when something weird, unexpected, or a little “cringe” happens, or when she cannot hear exactly what was said.

Banarsë compared it to the "Millennial Pause," a brief moment of silence before speaking in a video, adding that today's social quirks go viral more quickly. Banarsë added that the stare is part of Gen Z's move toward authenticity and boundary-setting—where emotional labor isn't automatically performed to meet outdated norms.

Learn why the "Gen Z Stare" is more than a blank, disengaged expression, why employers can't afford to misread it and what its deeper more serious meaning really holds.