Is a smile really contagious? What science says.
By The Horse
@TheHorse (207296)
Walnut Creek, California
November 18, 2016 11:24am CST
We've all heard that a smile is contagious. But what does science say? I found this on the daily ECE (Early Childhood Education) article that was in my email this morning:
"A 1999 study conducted by Sigal Barsade at the Yale School of Management showed that, among working groups, cheerfulness and warmth spread easily, while irritability caught on less so, and depression least of all. It should come as no surprise that laughter is the most contagious of all emotions. Hearing laughter, we find it almost impossible not to laugh or smile."
This got me to thinking about why 4-year-olds like me so much, and why my College students describe me as hilarious, as I rarely smile. I realized that I am the perpetual "Straight Man," like (can I mention his name?) Bill Cosby in the old Jello commercials (with children saying funny things) some of us will remember.
Do you smile a lot? Or make others around you smile? I'm glad to hear it confirmed that "a smile is contagious." I'll attach a video that I saw on Facebook a day or two ago. It's only a minute or so song. Note that the people who made the video showed both the silly book titles and peoples' reactions to those titles. I smiled when I saw some of the book titles, but laughed out loud when I saw others doing the same.
24 people like this
28 responses
@nanette64 (20364)
• Fairfield, Texas
18 Nov 16
OMG, I love the book covers @TheHorse . And yeah, the reactions of the other people were perfect. I do smile a lot. Since most of the people in town know who I am and know that I'm a ding-a-ling, when I walk through the door of a business, they're already smiling.
3 people like this
@FayeHazel (40246)
• United States
18 Nov 16
I join you in your non-smiling role Horse.... I have a somber looking resting face. People assume I'm sad or grouchy, depressed when in fact it's just my face. Cool study.
3 people like this
@TheHorse (207296)
• Walnut Creek, California
20 Nov 16
I think I look too serious much of the time. I'm often thinking about something. I think most are pleasantly surprised when I come out of my resting serious face and am actually quite friendly. My (college) students taught me the term "resting b-tch face." Pretty funny, I think.
Hilarious link..lol
@crazyhorseladycx (39515)
• United States
18 Nov 16
yepperz, smilin' 'tis contagious. thank the stars fer that.
3 people like this
@amitkokiladitya (171936)
• Agra, India
18 Nov 16
I like to smile and be in the company of smile people
2 people like this
@Letranknight2015 (51538)
• Philippines
19 Nov 16
I started smiling but not the one that would make me look like a joker 
it helps fight the sadness inside.
it helps fight the sadness inside.1 person likes this
@TheHorse (207296)
• Walnut Creek, California
19 Nov 16
I don't think I've seen that movie. I did a study in my Research Methods class. I had my male and female students watch this video and rate how funny they thought it was on a 1 to 7 scale. Most people thought it was funny, but males thought it funnier than females. There are definite gender differences in terms of what people find funny. But there's considerable overlap too.
A round of trash-talking before a UWL match quickly escalates.
@shivamani10 (11038)
• Hyderabad, India
19 Nov 16
Yeah. It is good for health also. When smile becomes more it turns into laugh.
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (116860)
• Anniston, Alabama
19 Nov 16
I am a smiling, laughing person! I can find a smile even in disaster and some people thinks that is wrong.
1 person likes this
@ilocosboy (45157)
• Philippines
19 Nov 16
I believe smile is contagious, and because of that, I can make smile many people because I have a smiling face. It will actually brighten up our day. There is no harm in smiling, in fact it can make us more lovely.
1 person likes this
