“Smile!”
Smiling triggers dopamine production, making you feel good. When someone else sees a smile, it leads to smile mimicry. Even the tiniest twitch of a smile can make the viewer feel happier. Some folks tell others to smile so they can make themselves feel better.
Many people smile to level the playing field. Men tend to be more rank-oriented. They don’t typically smile as much.
“Resting Bitch Face”
Why is it called “resting bitch face” if a woman doesn’t smile constantly? Hillary Clinton was publicly chastised for not smiling enough. Facial expression shows emotion. A woman playing cards close to her vest to be competitive isn’t revealing her emotions. A reserved expression doesn’t invite empathy.
Smiling is a submissive gesture of appeasement. You can see it in chimpanzees and some dogs. In fact, high testosterone levels are linked with decreased facial expression. No one wants to appear weak and submissive in an important business meeting.
Women don’t like being told to show more emotion or appease others.
Don't smile if it feels unnatural. But, everyone likes a genuine smile.
Listen as Dr. Helen Fisher joins Dr. Pamela Peeke to discuss the ins and outs of smiling.
Helen Fisher, PhD, is Senior Research Fellow at The Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, Member of the Center for Human Evolutionary Studies in the Department of Anthropology, Rutgers University, and Chief Scientific Advisor to Match.com.