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Smile is infectious. |
Why we smile at each other so obviously - without training or compulsion? The answer is both exciting and bizarre. Let’s understand how we came to know about its origin.
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Grimacing monkey |
By doing this, they make each other feel safe by passing a message, “Don’t scare. I’m not bearing teeth at you. I’m friendly.”. It's only the dominant male in their group who doesn't show his teeth to others. He uses his teeth only to bite and injure his sub-ordinates or rivals to proclaim his superiority or control.
Dr. Paul Ekman |
Elongated hostile gaze leads to parasympathetic distress and our primate cousins use same strategy smartly. Dominant male gorillas stare with hostile facial expressions to control large group of sub-ordinates and to derogate rebellions or rivals. It's sort of territorial invasion and also invitation to fight.
Thus smiling is comparatively less related with lips and teeth than eye balls and gaze. Orbicular muscles (Orbicularis Occuli) around the eyes unconsciously contract while smiling to convey that an individual is afraid of other person(s).
Contracted orbicular muscles helps to protect eyes from possible attack and also reverse the effect of stronger gaze i.e. our eyeballs appear smaller. Separating both lips and turning their corners upward might have evolved to enhance orbicular muscles (Orbicularis Occuli) contraction.
Displaying teeth along with fearful gaze creates overall effect of harmless intentions. A thin band of Zomgatic muscles on both side of face arising from Zygomatic bone i.e. near the outer edges of eyebrows and merging into Orbicularis Oris muscles (circular muscles around lips) at both corners of mouth contracts and pulls edges of lips upwards while we smile. Also puffed cheeks due to this pull provides additional protection to eyes.

We can portray 43 different kinds of smiles.
[This articled has been translated into Spanish (Espanol) and posted on Club Del Lenguaje No Verbal/Club of Nonverbal Language - a Spanish portal on Body Language and Nonverbal Communication. URL: http://www.clublenguajenoverbal.com/?p=1591]
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Great Stuff Dude...keep it up..Nice Explanantions
ReplyDeleteVery interesting article. How nice when someone serves you smiling!
ReplyDeletePhenomenal, really funny.
ReplyDeleteGreat article!
ReplyDelete