Expression of the Day

All people are capable of making a “social smile”, which is an expression of emotion that isn’t genuinely rooted in true happy feelings, but is rather an expression of social pleasing. It’s a smile we put on for other people, when we don’t necessarily feel happy.

For example, someone may say to you “You look fabulous today” when you aren’t really feeling it. You know that smile you make at that point?

Yes, that is a social smile.

It’s actually very different from a smile you would make if I were tell you that you won the lottery and you believed me! Different facial muscles are activated in a genuine versus a social smile.

Some people have very balanced facial features and when they make a social smile, it can be very convincing that they are truly happy when, in fact, they are masking their true emotions.

Can you easily spot a social smile?

Is the girl above giving a genuine smile or a social smile?