Eye contact

I have noticed that when I talk to people, I avoid eye contact. When I listen to people I look directly at them. Somehow looking at someone when I’m talking to them feels pushy or rude or perhaps too intimate. I’ve noticed that some other people do the same thing, but I’m not sure that everyone does. This leaves me wondering how common this behavior is and what kind of a message it sends to the people with whom I am conversing. Do I seem distant? Aloof? Disinterested? Shy? Or perhaps I merely seem normal and polite.

What do you do with your eyes when you talk and listen to people?