"The simple act of smiling can transform the world around you. Current research (and common sense) shows us that a smile is contagious. It can make us appear more attractive to others. It lifts our mood as well as the moods of those around us. And it can even lengthen our lives. So before you read on, slap a nice, genuine smile on that face of yours. You’ll thank me later" (1).
1.) "The part of your brain that is responsible for your facial expression of smiling when happy or mimicking another’s smile resides in the cingulate cortex, an unconscious automatic response area" (1).
2.) "In a Swedish study, subjects were shown pictures of several emotions: joy, anger, fear, and surprise. When the picture of someone smiling was presented, the researchers asked the subjects to frown. Instead, they found that the facial expressions went directly to imitation of what subjects saw. It took conscious effort to turn that smile upside down" (1).
3.) "The brain is hardwired for sociability, and when we interact with others, a neural bridge is created between brains. Our neurons provide a synchronizing function, and they can then activate the same region of our brain that has been activated in the brain of the person you’re interacting with; they are sometimes called mirror neurons" (2).
4.) According to Nicholas Christakis, a professor in Harvard University's sociology department, "Happiness is like a stampede. Whether you're happy depends not just on your own actions and behaviors and thoughts, but on those of people you don't even know" (3).
5.) "Happy people tended to be at the center of social networks and had many friends who were also happy. Having friends or siblings nearby increased people's chances of being upbeat. Happiness spread outward by three degrees, to the friends of friends of friends" (3).
6.) It is estimated that each happy friend boosts your own chances of being happy by 9 percent. Having unhappy friends decreases it by about 7 percent (3).
7.) Misery doesn't love company. Within studies, happiness seemed to spread more consistently than unhappiness (3).
2.) "In a Swedish study, subjects were shown pictures of several emotions: joy, anger, fear, and surprise. When the picture of someone smiling was presented, the researchers asked the subjects to frown. Instead, they found that the facial expressions went directly to imitation of what subjects saw. It took conscious effort to turn that smile upside down" (1).
3.) "The brain is hardwired for sociability, and when we interact with others, a neural bridge is created between brains. Our neurons provide a synchronizing function, and they can then activate the same region of our brain that has been activated in the brain of the person you’re interacting with; they are sometimes called mirror neurons" (2).
4.) According to Nicholas Christakis, a professor in Harvard University's sociology department, "Happiness is like a stampede. Whether you're happy depends not just on your own actions and behaviors and thoughts, but on those of people you don't even know" (3).
5.) "Happy people tended to be at the center of social networks and had many friends who were also happy. Having friends or siblings nearby increased people's chances of being upbeat. Happiness spread outward by three degrees, to the friends of friends of friends" (3).
6.) It is estimated that each happy friend boosts your own chances of being happy by 9 percent. Having unhappy friends decreases it by about 7 percent (3).
7.) Misery doesn't love company. Within studies, happiness seemed to spread more consistently than unhappiness (3).
Footnotes:
1. Stevenson, Sarah. "There's Magic In Your Smile." Psychology Today. 25 June 2012. Web. 16 Apr. 2015. <https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/cutting-
edge-leadership/201206/there-s-magic-in-your-smile>.
2. "Ask the Experts: Is Smiling Contagious?" Schulhof Center New York. N.p., 18 Feb. 2013. Web. 16 Apr. 2015. <http://www.theschulhofcenter.com/ask-the-experts
is-smiling-contagious/>.
3. "Smile! Study Says Happiness Is Contagious." Fox News. FOX News Network, 05 Dec. 2008. Web. 16 Apr. 2015. <http://www.foxnews.com/story/2008/12
/05/smile-study-says-happiness-is-contagious/>.
edge-leadership/201206/there-s-magic-in-your-smile>.
2. "Ask the Experts: Is Smiling Contagious?" Schulhof Center New York. N.p., 18 Feb. 2013. Web. 16 Apr. 2015. <http://www.theschulhofcenter.com/ask-the-experts
is-smiling-contagious/>.
3. "Smile! Study Says Happiness Is Contagious." Fox News. FOX News Network, 05 Dec. 2008. Web. 16 Apr. 2015. <http://www.foxnews.com/story/2008/12
/05/smile-study-says-happiness-is-contagious/>.
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