A Smile Can Change Your Brain. Can a Smiley Face Do The Same
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Smile Can Change Your Brain. Can a Smiley Face Do The Same?
Whenever
I give a presentation on the impact of body language in the workplace,
I always include a section on the power of a smile.
That�s
because research shows that facial expressions send feedback from your
face to your left frontal cortex, which in turn triggers the release of
the neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine into your brain. These
�happiness� chemicals begin to improve your mood.
In
addition, smiling increases your charisma. University of California�s
psychology professor Howard Friedman has conducted extensive research
on the role that body language and nonverbal cues play in our
perception of charisma. According to Friedman�s research, charismatic
people tend to smile more than the average person, with a distinct
crinkling around the eyes that demonstrates the genuine intent of the
smile.
And
smiles are universally evaluated as friendly. Genuine smiling (that
eye-crinkling kind) is a universal human indicator of acceptance,
inclusion, and friendliness -- regardless of where in the world you are
doing business.
Beyond the workplace, smiles retain their
positive influence. A 2001 study in the Journal of Personality and
Social Psychology found that women flashing bright, warm smiles in
their college yearbook photos reported experiencing less anxiety,
sadness and despair 30 years later. In comparison to their more
sober-looking classmates, these smiling women had more social
connections and more fulfilling lives.
Perhaps
best of all, when we smile at someone, they almost always smile in
return. And, because facial expressions trigger corresponding feelings,
the smile you get back can also change that person�s brain chemisty and
emotional state in a positive way.
Very
powerful consequences for one small facial expression!
But
what about those emoticon smiley faces? Could those possibly have a
similar effect?
Surprisingly,
research suggests the answer is yes. A study at Australia's Flinders
University found that that the pattern of brain activity triggered by
looking at an emoticon smiley face is similar to when someone sees a
real smiling human face.
If
you�d like to test this theory � or just want to start making your
commute more fun � check out a new product, MotorMood
that is currently being funded through
Kickstarter. It is designed to make commuting by automobile a happier
experience.
Our
faces are directly wired into the emotional center of the brain, and
smiling is a form of facial feedback that elevates our moods. I don�t
know that flashing a MotorMood at another driver will reduce road rage
� but I do know that flashing a genuine smile at a co-worker can
brighten up both your days!
About the Author
Carol Kinsey Goman (www.CarolKinseyGoman.com)
is a keynote speaker, executive coach, and media expert on
the impact of body language in the workplace. She is a leadership
blogger for Forbes and the author of "The
Silent Language of Leaders: How Body Language Can Help - or Hurt - How
You Lead.�
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Article Published/Sorted/Amended on Scopulus 2015-07-24 13:23:05 in Personal Articles
