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The Smile Experiment

The study aimed to investigate whether facial expressions like smiles could be automatically recognized and acknowledged by others, and to determine the effects of smiles. The researcher conducted a naturalistic observation on a college campus, smiling randomly at passersby. Most respondents recognized the smile and responded positively, though some frowned in surprise. Smiles tended to create a socially connected feeling, while one non-response caused social disconnection. The study was limited by the inability to determine the specific effects on participants.

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256 views5 pages

The Smile Experiment

The study aimed to investigate whether facial expressions like smiles could be automatically recognized and acknowledged by others, and to determine the effects of smiles. The researcher conducted a naturalistic observation on a college campus, smiling randomly at passersby. Most respondents recognized the smile and responded positively, though some frowned in surprise. Smiles tended to create a socially connected feeling, while one non-response caused social disconnection. The study was limited by the inability to determine the specific effects on participants.

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Running head: The Smile Experiment

The Smile Experiment: Participant-Observation Study

Student Name

Southern New Hampshire University


The Smile Experiment

2
Abstract

Past studies propose that facial expressions simulation triggers accurate recognition of
facial expressions. The smile experiment was aimed at investigating whether a smile as a facial
expression could be recognized and acknowledged automatically by others and also to find out
the effects a smile will trigger in them. The experiment was conducted in a campus area whereby

I as the participant randomly acknowledged passerby strangers with a smile. The researcher
chose the campus area since it brought participants from different cultural background. Findings
analyzed were obtained through observation whereby it was found out that facial expressions are
universal and can be recognized and acknowledge as long as one is alert to notice them. In
addition, it was found out that human beings are social animals and their response is
evolutionary.

The Smile Experiment

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Introduction

A smile is facial expression which involves lifting of the upper lips or the activation of
the zygomatic major muscle lip corner puller: the muscle group that pulls up the lips) (Ekman,
Davidson, & Friesen, 1990). As a notable facial expression, a smile in many ways positively
influences interpersonal judgments and life outcomes (Arsalidou, Morris, & Taylor, 2011).This
study concurs with Charles Darwins argument that someone can easily detect anothers
emotional state by looking at their face. He therefore deems facial expressions a product of a

natural selection, a process of evolution. (Charles Darwin, 1872)


Are facial expressions universal? Darwin never indicated that all facial expressions were
universal, he instead claimed that a specific set of expressions that he had studied were universal.
However according to a study done by Paul Ekham and Corroll Izard, which was done on
individuals who had much and less exposure to the media and who were from different cultural
backgrounds, the finding showed a strong cross-cultural agreement in the set of expression. This
hence implies that if one individual smiles to another in a different cultural situation, then the
other individual is bound to recognize and acknowledge the facial expression as a smile thus
smiling back.
The study objective was to find out whether human being could automatically recognize
and acknowledge facial expressions of others and whether facial expressions were universal. In
addition, the study sought to determine the effects of these facial expressions on an individual.
The study was guided with the hypothesis that facial expression will influence an
emotional experience. This implies that if I smile to another human, then, they will respond back
with a smile, and the face expression will affect self via feedback (Silvan Tomkins 1962).
The Smile Experiment

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Method

The researcher used naturalistic observation as a method to obtain findings from the
study; through this method one is able to identify and measure peoples behavior in real time
without intervening (Cozby and Bates, 2012). The study was conducted on passersby in a
campus area where the researcher smiled randomly at them in a bid to record their responses and
the effects that were felt. Figure 1.1 shows the different responses in form of facial responses and
effect that the response triggered while figure 1.2 shows the gender of the respondents who
participated in the experiment

Figure 1.1
Facial Expression

Frequency

Effect

Smile
Frown
Neutral
No response
Total

4
3
2
1
10

Socially connected
Socially connected
Socially connected
Socially disconnected

Gender
Male
Female
Total

Frequency
4
6
10

The Smile Experiment

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Results

According to figure 1.1 above, it was found out that the participants were able to respond
automatically to the facial expressions whereby four (4) people smiled back, three (3) frowned
surprisingly while two (2) recognized and acknowledged the facial expression but did not smile
or frown back and only one(1) respondent gave no response since he was not alert to recognize
me smiling at him or probably he was deep in thoughts unaware of what was going on around
him. The effects can be seen clearly that once the respondents acknowledged the facial
expression, those who smiled back, the once who frowned and those who showed neutral
expressions created a connection between themselves and the researched which thus supports the
hypothesis that facial engagements can influence emotional connection in varying situations. On

the other hand, the respondent who showed no response made the researcher feel socially
disconnected from him.
The study can be improved by engaging the participants in a face to face conversation
after the experiment so as to determine the kind of effects they felt when a stranger smiled at
them. Lastly, a number of strategies can be employed to bring stronger findings about facial
expressions in decoding smiles.

Limitations of the study


One major limitation was that, the researcher was unable to know the effect the
participants felt.

The Smile Experiment


References
Arsalidou, M. , Morris, D., & Taylor, M. J. ( 2011) Converging Evidence For The Advantage
Of Dynamic Facial Expressions . Brain Topography, 24 (2), 149 - 163 .
Cozby, Paul C., Bates, Scott C. (2012). Methods in Behavioral Research (11th Ed.) New York,
NY: McGraw Hill.
Darwin, C. R. 1872. The Expression of The Emotions In Man And Animals. London: John
Murray. 1st Edition.
Ekman, P . , Davidson, R. J. , & Friesen, W. V. ( 1990 ) The Duchenne Smile: Emotional
Expression And Brain Physiology Ii . Journal Of Personality And Social Psychology,
58, 342-353 .
Tomkins, Sylvan S. (1962), Affect Imagery Comciousness: Volume I, The Positive Affects
London; Tavistock

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