Smiling can cause others to smile because of the positive feeling it projects.
What Is a Duchenne Smile?
Duchenne smiles are named after 19th century anatomist Guillaume Duchenne, who studiedfacial expressions.
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This is the kind of smile that reaches your eyes and lights up your whole face.
Typically, this kind of smile may be difficult to display if you don’t mean it.
When participants of one study were asked to force the display of a Duchenne smile, most could not.
In another study, participants were asked to watch cartoons while monitored.
Duchenne Smile vs. Other Smile Types
There are different types of smiles.
According to researchers, Duchenne smiles contribute to happy eyes.
Happy eyes usually correlate with the raising of the cheeks.
Non-Duchenne smiles are not associated with happy eyes or the raising of the cheeks.
Participants were easily able to judge that anyfacial expressionother than a smile was not happy.
Sharing that smile can literally spread the chemical reactions of happiness.
Smiling, even if forced, correlates with reducedstress.
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