Do you look a bear in the eye?

Answer 1

No, I wouldn't challenge a bear by looking it in the eye . . .

You can step back a step or two - slowly - then spread your legs a little and raise your hands all the way up, and out. This makes you look bigger and less threatening to the bear.

The bear will most likely do a 'false charge' to make you run. Don't run. The bear will get you whether you stand still or run if it wants to, but there is a good chance it won't attack if you stand still.

That is good advice if you run into a black bear (brown, cinnamon, and so forth).

It she's a grizzly, ( a hump over the shoulders, large, and running for you ) none of the above works. Flatten yourself to the ground with your arms and legs pulled under you. Don't move a muscle or yell. Play dead. You may be injured, but you have a decent chance of coming out of it alive.

The best defense against grizzlies is to let them know you are coming. Many people sing, talk, or scuff their feet when hiking. A popular defence is to tie very small bells (jingle bells or whatever) into your shoe laces, so the grizzly will hear those, and try to avoid you.

I live in bear country, and have been close (not my idea) to black bears 3 or 4 times in my life. I never saw any of them. They were all spotted by hiking buddies.