What's in a smile?

[Syd Valentine]

In researching the affects of smiling, it has been found that receiving a smile can be more pleasurable than the titillation derived from sex. According to tests, smiles can produce a higher level of stimulus to our vital organs than that of having a cigarette. Of course, the amount of pleasure we receive from a smile depends on who the smile is coming from and how they are smiling. Obviously, one does not feel the same sensation from seeing their child smile as they would from an a doofy grin on George Bush's mug.

Interestingly enough, the length of a smile has been found to affect it's perception. During an expirament in which both men and women were observed, it was discovered that long-onset smiles were seen as more authentic, attractive and flirtatious than a short-onset smile. The positioning of the head also seemed to make a difference. If the head tilted the same direction as eye orientation, the smile was perceived even more attractive and trustworthy. As a gender based study, it has been observed that smiling is associated with attractiveness in women but dominance in men.

Although smiles most commonly communicate happiness, amusement and the intent to co-operate they can also express the presence of anxiety, fear and sadness. On an evolutionary plane, facial expressions in different species resembling the human smile, serve the purpose of indicating submissiveness or are used as a threat or warning signal.

Humans have the ability to "fake" smiles but the ability to decipher which smile is honest and which is not is a harder task. In the 1800's, a physiologist named Duchenne identified the smile in two types. One type, involving a contraction of the muscles which raise the corners of the mouth (zygomatic majors) and the muscles that raise the cheeks to form "crows feet" around the eyes (orbicularis oculi) is named the "Duchenne Smile". The other, a "Non-Duchenne Smile", contracts only the zygomatic major muscles. Since it is uncommon for a person to have the ability to voluntarily contract the outer region of their orbicularis oculi muscles, researchers believe that the "Duchenne Smile" is a true and genuine smile brought on by spontaneous emotions.

(That's me. Your one stop shop for useless information!)

Anyway...

I love smiles. I love the fascinated smile of a child discovering something new. I love the friendly smile of a stranger just passing by. I love the encouraging smile of a friend when you're down in the dumps. I love the prideful smile of a parent watching their child accomplish a task.

My favorite though, is a smile that can warm you from the inside out; a smile that makes your whole core tingle and your legs turn to rubber. This is a smile that is knowing of you and your thoughts but simultaneously entices with it's mysteriousness. I love a smile that you never want to look away from but can't stand to face for long because it takes your breath away and flushes your cheeks to the shade of sun-burnt flesh. This is the kind of smile I could live off of. This is the kind of smile that makes me want to take on the world.


(Oh, yeah... I don't just make s*** up AND I'm not into plagiarism.)
Check these sites out if you are a freak like me and want to know more about smiling.
http://www.spring.org.uk/2007/05/slow-smile-attracts.php
http://www.sciencedirect.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smile

[Poppy Fields]

Here's a neat mind-trick: keep a smile in your head; imagine yourself smiling, even if you're physically not. Your face will automatically respond by relaxing and becoming more "open". Besides the positive effect this has on anyone who sees you, it is impossible to be grumpy/sad/nervous with the mind-smile.

I practice on the bus. It's my grumpiest of places :D