Smile May Fight Off Bad Mood

Smiling is a facial expression that makes you appear to be happy and portrays a positive outlook on life. New research indications that smiling may slow reaction to negative signals, and may make you feel happier.

Scientists at the University of Wisconsin have been studying the benefits of smiling, including the interactions between facial express, thoughts and emotions. Facial expressions may tell others what you are thinking or feeling, but they also impact ability to understand writing language related to emotions.

Researchers reported on 40 people who were treated with Botox to deactivate the muscles in the forehead that cause frowning. Previously, scientists have found that blocking the body's ability to move causes changes in cognition and emotions. This study researched the interactions between facial expression, thoughts and emotions.

The study subject were shown happy, angry and sad sentences after receiving specific Botox treatments in the forehead. According to researchers, the study subjects were able to understand happy sentences as usual. The subjects took more time to read the angry and sad sentences. The time difference was small but significant, meaning that it took longer to process negative messages.

The use of Botox to test how making facial expressions affect emotional centers in the brain was pioneered by, Andreas Hennenlotter of the Max Planck Institute in Leipzig, Germany.

University of Wisconsin-Madison psychology Ph.D. candidate David Havas stated; "There is a long-standing idea in psychology, called the facial feedback hypothesis. Essentially, it says, when you're smiling, the whole world smiles with you. It's an old song, but it's right. Actually, this study suggests the opposite: When you're not frowning, the world seems less angry and less sad."

The study could have implications for plastic surgery patients, as their slowness to reacting to cues of angry or sad messages could mean that they seem not to understand what is being expressed in conversation, according to a statement by UW-Madison professor emeritus of psychology Arthur Glenberg. "Normally, the brain would be sending signals to the periphery to frown, and the extent of the frown would be sent back to the brain. But here, that loop is disrupted, and the intensity of the emotion, and of our ability to understand it when embodied in language, is disrupted."

This research indicates that a smile can improve your perception of the world, making it seem like a happier place. In addition, wearing a smile sends a positive message to other people and may improve their mood.

Resource:
EurekAlert:

Related Articles: University of Wisconsin; Can blocking a frown keep bad feelings at bay? 29-Jan-2010

Your Smile May Be Your Most Attractive Attribute
Getting Up and Moving Around Can Lift Mental Depression
Exercise Improves Quality of Life
Depression Self Assessment
Treatments for Seasonal Affective Disorder