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.
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!
osi di
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 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
i like this article thing
You guys are so funny.
Its helping my science project too.!!!!!!!!!By the way who started this blog, i need to know!!!! NOW!!!!!! hahahahahaha.
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.
makes no sense
ooooh fancy. I am smiling now!!!!!
DDD 
))) 
||||||||||| ::LLLLLLL:::((((( DDDDD: me not smiling nowww
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.”
Outsource Web Development and Designing. http://www.outsource-website-development.com
thanks guys this really helped me on my science project!!
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!
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
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.
This was a really great website. Good job. It really helped me with my science project. Thank You very much
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