Smiling: Does It Really Affect Your Mood?

Charles Darwin & The Facial Feedback Hypothesis

When you’re feeling down, there is always that one person who asks you to smile or tries to get you to laugh. As annoying as it may be, the idea is actually a scientific phenomenon dating back to the 1800s when Charles Darwin took the stance that physical movement directly impacts your psychological state.

Essentially, Charles Darwin was suggesting that smiling will make you happier.

Hundreds of years later, scientists are still studying Darwin’s findings, which eventually evolved into the “Facial Feedback Hypothesis.” This hypothesis states that facial gestures will in fact influence emotional experiences in social settings. People who smile will not immediately feel happier; rather, people who smile will most likely have a happier experience than those who frown.

“Say AHHH!” — A Funny Experiment

In 1988, three scientists by the names of Fritz Strack, Leonard Martin, and Sabine Stepper conducted an experiment to further confirm the ideas behind the Facial Feedback Hypothesis. They asked a group of participants to perform tasks that would allow them to study the capabilities of people who can’t use their hands. Obviously, this was just a cover story to deter the participants from knowing the true objective of the tests.

First, the participants were split into groups:

• Group A would hold a pen in their mouth with their teeth (which would force a smile).
• Group B would hold a pen in their mouth with their lips (which would force a frown).

While holding the pens in their designated positions, both groups watched a funny cartoon. Ultimately, Group A reported back with higher amusement ratings than those in Group B, further confirming the concept of the Facial Feedback Hypothesis.

The Botox Experiment: Depression & Frowns

In the early 2000s, a team of researchers led by Axel Wollmer and Tillmann Kruger, based at the Psychiatric Hospital of the University of Basel, Switzerland, and the Department of Psychiatry, Medical School Hannover, Germany, expanded on the concepts of the Facial Feedback Hypothesis.

They believed that injecting Botox into the muscles most linked with frowning and low mood would relax those muscles, effectively preventing people from performing the facial actions associated with low mood. As a result, the team discovered that Botox does have a significant effect on depression, ultimately blocking those muscles from being engaged.

Why This Matters in Dentistry

Cosmetic dentistry is heavily intended to provide patients with a way to enhance their physical appearance. Whether we recognize it or not, one of the first things we notice when we meet someone new is their smile. If you are self-conscious about how your teeth look, you may be less inclined to smile — which, as the Facial Feedback Hypothesis demonstrates, can negatively influence your overall mood.

Dr. Maryam Motlagh runs her private practice located in Portland, OR and focuses on Smile Makeovers intended to help her patients not only look better but ultimately feel better. If you live in the Portland area, give Aesthetic Smiles a call to schedule your next appointment!