The idea that outward signs of emotion can actually intensify that emotion was proposed by Charles Darwin in 1872. However, Darwin’s idea never really caught on and for years, psychologists have believed that emotions follow thoughts that trigger facial expressions.
However, newer research indicates that the frown muscles on the forehead are directly connected to the areas of the brain associated with depression and other emotions, and that preventing the act of frowning via Botox injections to the area may actually alleviate the distressing symptoms.
There is plenty of evidence to indicate that the reverse may also be true.
Smiles are Contagious
According to the Foundation for Global Consideration and Peace,a genuine smile involves the contraction of muscles that cause the cheeks and sides of the mouth to rise and the eyes to crinkle.
“When we smile, the world smiles with us.” The old adage may actually be true as genuine smiles are highly contagious. Typically, we smile when we feel happy, but it works the other way too: we feel happier when we smile.
It seems that even smiles that are less than genuine can be beneficial. Interestingly, research over the last few decades indicates that although a fake smile that involves only the mouth may seem a bit awkward, it can bring about a feeling of happiness in the smiling person, and other people as well.
You may have noticed that’s very difficult to frown when looking at a smiling person. Numerous studies reveal that people who looked at themselves smiling in a mirror enjoyed marked improvement in mood, more than those who smiled without seeing their own faces in the mirror.
