Scientists in Sweden have figured out why it’s so difficult to keep a straight face if others around you are grinning away. It’s your unconscious mind taking control. The researchers at Uppsala University had volunteers look at pictures of expressionless, happy, and angry faces. In return they were told to adopt blank, happy, or angry expressions. When they had to meet a smile with a frown, or a frown with a smile, they had trouble. Twitching in the subjects’ faces — measured with electronic equipment — indicated they simply didn’t have control of their muscles. It’s believed that there’s a shortcut to the part of the brain that recognizes faces and expressions that bypasses the area responsible for conscious processing.
A Smile Really Is Contagious
68 Responses to A Smile Really Is Contagious
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Island Dentistry | Is There Magic in a Smile? -
April 30, 2013
[...] A study done at Uppsala University in Sweden revealed that when people look at pictures of others smiling they unconsciously smiled. Electric equipment measured that the subjects did not have direct control over the muscles in their own faces. So, it is actually physically hard to keep a straight face when someone exudes happiness and smiles. See more on this study visit http://scienceblog.com/176/a-smile-really-is-contagious/ [...]
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SAY CHEESE! BE HEALTHY! « The Brunk & Laster Orthodontics Blog -
April 30, 2013
[...] Smiles are contagious: It’s not just a saying: smiling really is contagious, scientists say. In a study conducted in Sweden, people had difficulty frowning when they looked at other subjects who were smiling, and their muscles twitched into smiles all on their own. [...]
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3 Reasons Why You Should Be Crazy Passionate About Life! | DEG Consulting -
February 27, 2013
[...] an 8 percent increased chance and for next-door neighbors, it’s 34 percent.” Researchers in Sweden also found that smiles are contagious, citing that “it’s your unconscious mind taking [...]
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10 facts about smiling | Exceptional Year -
February 20, 2013
[...] Smiles are contagious: It’s not just a saying: smiling really is contagious, scientists say. In a study conducted in Sweden, people had difficulty frowning when they looked at other subjects who were smiling, and their muscles twitched into smiles all on their own. [...]
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5 Ways to Become a Better Leader Through Body Language -
February 12, 2013
[...] find yourself feeling happier, soon your whole office will follow suit. Scientists have found that smiling is truly contagious! By forcing yourself to smile, soon you will have not only cheered yourself up, but boosted your [...]
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5 Reasons Why You Should Smile More Everyday | Jeremiah Say -
February 4, 2013
[...] Science Blog: A Smile Really is Contagious [...]
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SMILE « Johannes zheng -
October 26, 2012
[...] Smiles are contagious: It’s not just a saying: smiling really is contagious, scientists say. In a study conducted in Sweden, people had difficulty frowning when they looked at other subjects who were smiling, and their muscles twitched into smiles all on their own. [...]
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Don’t Worry, be Happy | 15 Fascinating facts about Smiling – Plastic Surgery, Dentistry and SPA -
October 23, 2012
[...] 3. Smiles are contagious: It’s not just a saying: smiling really is contagious, scientists say. In a study conducted in Sweden, people had difficulty frowning when they looked at other subjects who were smiling, and their muscles twitched into smiles all on their own. [...]
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Reasons to Smile by Sherina Anne Guce « C-H-I-C ♛ -
September 19, 2012
[...] Smiles are contagious: It’s not just a saying: smiling really is contagious, scientists say. In a study conducted in Sweden, people had difficulty frowning when they looked at other subjects who were smiling, and their muscles twitched into smiles all on their own. [...]
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“laughter is the best medicine,” » Youwah -
August 24, 2012
[...] Smiles are contagious: It’s not just a saying: smiling really is contagious, scientists say. In a study conducted in Sweden, people had difficulty frowning when they looked at other subjects who were smiling, and their muscles twitched into smiles all on their own. [...]
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Dr. Thomas Gibbs, Glen Ellyn Wheaton General dentist talks about smiling. | Glen Ellyn Wheaton Dentist -
August 21, 2012
[...] Smiles are contagious: It’s not just a saying: smiling really is contagious, scientists say. In a study conducted in Sweden, people had difficulty frowning when they looked at other subjects who were smiling, and their muscles twitched into smiles all on their own. [...]
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Smile of the Week–12- Education For Your Life -
July 27, 2012
[...] Taken from Science Blog–http://scienceblog.com/176/a-smile-really-is-contagious/#sFBKvl9vtCopO3A4.99 [...]
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Southern Husky: Church Laughs | QuinnTessentials -
June 21, 2012
[...] fewer muscles, and sincere “felt” smiles that use more muscles on both sides of the face. Smiles are contagious: It’s not just a saying: smiling really is contagious, scientists say. In a study conducted in [...]
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Smile a lot , It costs nothing « nevastemes -
June 1, 2012
[...] Smiles are contagious: It’s not just a saying: smiling really is contagious, scientists say. In a study conducted in Sweden, people had difficulty frowning when they looked at other subjects who were smiling, and their muscles twitched into smiles all on their own. [...]
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The Customer Service Culture | BILL QUISENG | Deliver the World's Best Customer Experience -
May 14, 2012
[...] part of customer service. Even over the phone, you can tell if someone is smiling when they speak. Smiles are contagious, and there’s no easier way to put a smile on your customer’s face than to put one on yours. Set [...]
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plus size clothing for juniors -
April 29, 2012
write about your product, their opinions, and…
recommendations. moreover, a picture or video can be posted in the blog to make it more genuine. the other type lets you make announcements through blogs. it is a kind of press release, where the announcement is made through paid bloggers,…
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Happiness = Success | vivamondays -
April 2, 2012
[...] Smiles are contagious: It’s not just a saying: smiling really is contagious, scientists say. In a study conducted in Sweden, people had difficulty frowning when they looked at other subjects who were smiling, and their muscles twitched into smiles all on their own. [...]
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big wide grinning ♥smiles | susies♥heartpathblog -
March 16, 2012
[...] Smiles are contagious: It’s not just a saying: smiling really is contagious, scientists say. In a study conducted in Sweden, people had difficulty frowning when they looked at other subjects who were smiling, and their muscles twitched into smiles all on their own. [...]
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SMILE!!!!! It’s good for you!! « Nicole Picksley -
March 16, 2012
[...] Smiles are contagious [...]
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When you smile, I smile. . . « smilelovehappiness -
January 24, 2012
[...] Smiles are contagious: It’s not just a saying: smiling really is contagious, scientists say. In a study conducted in Sweden, people had difficulty frowning when they looked at other subjects who were smiling, and their muscles twitched into smiles all on their own. [...]
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Kadry i place -
January 19, 2012
kadry…
I saw this today……
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SMILE … It confuses People ! « according2mery -
January 6, 2012
[...] what is weird is that Smiles are contagious It’s not just a saying: smiling really is contagious, scientists say. In a study conducted in [...]
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Day 22: Smile at Strangers | The Acts of Kindness Advent Calendar -
December 22, 2011
[...] by Kindness Advent Calendar It’s not that hard. Really. In fact, smiling is actually contagious. So here’s what we want you to do: smile at everyone you see today. That means your friends, [...]
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Smile « P.U.L.S.E. -
November 9, 2011
[...] Smiles are contagious: It’s not just a saying: smiling really is contagious, scientists say. In a study conducted in Sweden, people had difficulty frowning when they looked at other subjects who were smiling, and their muscles twitched into smiles all on their own. [...]
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Smile « Y e N ' s N o O k -
October 11, 2011
[...] Smiles are contagious: It’s not just a saying: smiling really is contagious, scientists say. In a study conducted in Sweden, people had difficulty frowning when they looked at other subjects who were smiling, and their muscles twitched into smiles all on their own. [...]
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Making People Smile | articles.friendsup.com -
June 15, 2011
[...] 1. Smile Yourself: Smiling is contagious. The science proves it. http://scienceblog.com/176/a-smile-really-is-contagious/ [...]
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Happiness | Led by Ideas -
May 15, 2011
[...] for example, it even has positive side effects on your health and love life, plus you can make other people happy too. var addthis_config = [...]
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News from the office » Blog Archive » 15 Fascinating Facts About Smiling -
May 10, 2011
[...] Smiles are contagious: It’s not just a saying: smiling really is contagious, scientists say. In a study conducted in Sweden, people had difficulty frowning when they looked at other subjects who were smiling, and their muscles twitched into smiles all on their own. [...]
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3 Reasons Why You Should Be Crazy Passionate About Life! « dan gold, esq. -
March 29, 2011
[...] an 8 percent increased chance and for next-door neighbors, it’s 34 percent.” Researchers in Sweden also found that smiles are contagious, citing that “it’s your unconscious mind taking [...]
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SMILE..a secret healing | hegms -
March 7, 2011
[...] Smiles are contagious: It’s not just a saying: smiling really is contagious, scientists say. In a study conducted in Sweden, people had difficulty frowning when they looked at other subjects who were smiling, and their muscles twitched into smiles all on their own. [...]

I am in Grade 8 and I’m doing a science project on this topic. I am enjoying every minute of it. As coughing is contagious, then according to my experiment smiling is too!!!!!! A friend walked behind me and recorded the results on a notebook. We recorded the number of people who walked passed us, the number of people we smiled at, the number of people who smiled backed and the number of people who didn’t. It was not a surprise that there was not 1 single person didn’t smile back!!! So I proved that SMILING IS CONTAGIOUS!!!!!
Yess…. thx for helping me! This is my project and my friend and I needed the help soo bad CX thxz again! C:
For those of you looking for a source on this study:
Sonnby–Borgström, M. (2002), Automatic mimicry reactions as related to differences in emotional empathy. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 43: 433–443.
I found it in this well sourced article on the effects of smiling:
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/cutting-edge-leadership/201206/there-s-magic-in-your-smile
wow.
It’s true that smile, as well as happiness is contagious. So wear a smile and spread it around. You might just brighten someone’s day.
This so helped me on my science project. Thanks <333
wow annoying words lol
i’m in 5th grade and i’m doing this!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My friend is going to walk a couple yeard behind me, and she will have a notebook and i will have a notebook. Since we will pass the same people, she will write down how many people smiled at her and i will do the same. and FYI: its already a universal fact that a positive person will attract another positive person.when you smile at someone,you give off positive emotions which pull at the same energies in the reciving person.
This has always been assumed but its noce to have it confirmed at least in part.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!! THAT WAS TOOOO HELPFUL
LOL :-0
p.s i am in 7th grade too:)
This will help my science fair project a bit, but how do I test this? I’m only in 7th grade!!!!
this iz meh science fair pro thx for dah info
I learned this because of this, and this one time my friend had a sticker that said: “My Smile Is Contagious” ‘She then smiled and I smiled. So that proves it IS contagious
Nice! Now, This is officialy my expirement.
interesting name
osi di
Grins…. outsource web development
Wow thx but this is rlly stupid and weird!
PPPP haha
This has been so helpful!
This will really help with my Science Fair Project! Thanks!!
helping with my science fair project as well!!! thx!
haha thanks this is aloot of help towards my science fair project! i think mine is gonna be the best one there!
what makes smiling contagious???????????????????????????????
:):):):)
smiles are contagious I can walk up to many people and smile and get an smile back and when I do I feel soooooooooooooooo happy
^_^
i like this article thing
Hi, My son is actualy doing a science project on smiling and if it is contagious or not. Could you share the info you got from the people that were able to send you links on previous studies anbout this topic?
here is my email
endj5@yahoo.com
Thanks
You guys are so funny.
Its helping my science project too.!!!!!!!!!By the way who started this blog, i need to know!!!! NOW!!!!!! hahahahahaha.
makes no sense
I think if someone is just smileing at one person it does noy make others around them smile but would make them walk by with a blank face i cant explan why but it just does not have the same effect.
ooooh fancy. I am smiling now!!!!!
DDD
)))
||||||||||| ::LLLLLLL:::((((( DDDDD: me not smiling nowww
This was a really great website. Good job. It really helped me with my science project. Thank You very much
I am doing a speech about smiling and how it can be contagious. I would like to know, that if someone is just walking around smiling, and the smile is not specially meant for you, that would the effect be the same towards a person and make them smile too? Or would people just not feel as if they’d care to smile.
Hey;; Smiling Is Contagious.!!!<3 Or At Least That's What I've Proved From My Science Expirament. Hope I Can Use This As A Back-up Too.;; Thanks.
-Kimbo
It would have been nice to have a reference to the original study so we could read more about the psychology of smiling. I have a student looking for information about whether or not smiling is contageous…this would have been a big help!
thanks guys this really helped me on my science project!!
A SMILE costs nothing, but gives much.
It enriches those who
receive, without making poorer those who give.
It takes but a moment,
but the memory of it sometimes lasts forever.
None is so rich or
mighty that he can get along without it,
and none is so poor but that
he can be made rich by it.
A smile creates happiness in the home,
fosters good will in business,
and is the countersign of friendship.
It brings rest to the weary,
cheer to the discouraged,
sunshine to the sad,
and is nature’s best antidote for trouble.
Yet it cannot be
bought, begged, borrowed, or stolen.
For it is something that is of no
value to anyone until it is given away.
Some people are too tired to give you a smile.
Give them one of yours,
as none needs a smile so much as
he who has no more to give.”
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