Can you tell a fake smile from a genuine smile? Most people can. But do you know what it is that distinguishes a fake smile from a genuine smile? This is something that communication researchers who study nonverbal cues having been investigating for quite some time.
A fake smile involves only the muscles at the ends of the mouth, usually with little teeth showing. A genuine smile (often called a Duchenne smile after Guillaume Duchenne who first named it) involves not only the muscles at the ends of the mouth, but also the muscles in the cheeks and those around the eyes which, when stretched, form what we call "crow's feet." (So, if you have crow's feet, don't consider this a bad thing; it just means you smile genuinely a lot.) The genuine smile also typically shows a wide open mouth with lots of teeth.
The photo above was taken by Jennifer Konig and was downloaded from Flickr. If you have any doubt whether Mike's smile is fake or genuine, I feel sorry for you (although the lack of teeth may cause you some concern). Thank you, Jennifer. When I saw this joyous photo, I really knew what it meant to smile.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
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