Smiling is the universal symbol of pure, unadulterated happiness. But, in truth, different types of smiles can mean different things. In Australia, a survey commissioned for World Oral Health Day revealed that 53% of adults flash their pearly whites to show they’re friendly. Additionally, about 40% use it to express politeness, but one-third of all respondents admit to faking it in front of a stranger.
Now, think of the different smiles you flash daily – what emotions do they convey? Maybe you “grin and bear” the pain of stubbing your toe or “beam proudly” at your pet when they get a trick right. Has anyone ever caught you smirking during an awkward moment and asked you to “wipe it off your face”? These are all examples of how a simple smile can contain multitudes.
The Benefits of Smiling
Besides communicating your emotional range, smiling can also lift your spirits – regardless of your mood. In a 2020 study published in Experimental Psychology, researchers from the University of South Australia found that “the act of smiling can trick your mind into being more positive, simply by moving your facial muscles.”
So, if you’re feeling down, try flashing a grin in the mirror and see how it helps. Its perks go beyond mental health, too. According to one Health Psychology Review study, “[Findings] suggest that smiling may have a number of health-relevant benefits.” These include stress relief, recovery, and reduced illness over time.
Smiling is also crucial to how humans operate in social settings, and it differs depending on context. For example, the smile you give a job interviewer isn’t the same as the one you show your partner after coming home. Humans are social creatures, so they use smiling to relate and communicate with others.
3 Different Types of Smile Expressions, According to Function
Scientists have long been fascinated by smiles, the different types, and their impact and social functions. One study by a group of researchers resulted in the “Simulation-of-Smiles Model” (SIMS), which proposes three smile expressions: reward, affiliation, and dominance. The article Functional Smiles: Tools for Love, Sympathy, and War, published in Sage Journals, dives deeper into how and when these manifest and what they can mean. Here’s a closer look:
1. Reward smiles
These “reward the self or other people and [communicate] positive experiences or intentions.” A reward smile embodies enjoyment: it naturally comes out when you’re having a good time or feeling happy. Its distinct features include the “smooth and symmetrical action of the zygomaticus major muscle” – a.k.a., what pulls your mouth upwards when you beam. Sometimes, it also comes with a playful eye crinkle.
2. Affiliative smiles
These primarily assist in social bonding by “communicating approachability, acknowledgement, and appeasement.” The key feature is pressed lips, signalling nonaggression. According to the article, this smile is the hardest to distinguish among the three, given its similarities to the reward smile. Think of it as the standard friendly or polite smile you’d present during social gatherings.
3. Dominance smiles
Lastly, these “serve to maintain and negotiate social or moral status and are associated with superiority or pride, defiance, derision, and contempt.” Its distinct characteristics include asymmetry, nose-wrinkling, and upper-lip raising. This smile usually has a negative effect on others since it signals assertiveness or aggression rather than approachability.
More Smile Subtypes and What They Mean
There are other, more specific smile subtypes beyond the three expressions mentioned. An article for BBC Future bears the headline, “There are 19 types of smile, but only six are for happiness.” It cites numerous sources, including 19th-century neurologist Guillaume Duchenne de Boulogne, who coined the first smile on this list. Here’s a brief rundown of the most common types you might encounter.
4. Duchenne smile
What kind of smile is attractive? Without a doubt, the Duchenne makes the cut. It’s also known as the “felt” smile because it’s hard to fake, so the assumption is it emerges from genuinely positive feelings. Its defining feature is laugh lines or crow’s feet around the eyes. One study in the Cognition and Emotion journal found that people with Duchenne smiles appear more “trustworthy, real,” and “attractive.”
5. Fearful smile
In the BBC Future article, a primatologist at the University of Birmingham explained that smiling is a well-documented response among frightened chimpanzees. But you can also observe it in many people today, like distressed babies or men interacting with those in power. Signs of a fearful smile include tense and tight facial muscles, a lack of eye contact, and tightly closed lips.
6. Miserable smile
Dr. Paul Ekman, an American psychologist and the world’s foremost “deception detection expert,” described this as a smile acknowledging misery “without intending to do much about it.” A study by San Francisco State University observed it among silver medalists who lost their final matches. Someone with this smile slaps it on to hide their sadness, but their real emotion still peaks through subtly. Most notably, this smile won’t reach the eyes and appears asymmetrical.
7. Contemptuous smile
A contemptuous smile is otherwise known as a “sneer.” Like the miserable smile, it’s often asymmetrical. Only one side of the mouth curls upward, while the other stays flat or turned down. It conveys disgust and resentment without resorting to a frown. It can also seem like a nonverbal threat. Some examples of famous sneerers include Draco Malfoy, Severus Snape, and Lord Voldemort, all antagonists in the Harry Potter novels.
8. Embarrassed smile
Have you ever fumbled over your words during a presentation or cracked a joke that didn’t land? If so, you’re probably familiar with smiling as a coping mechanism. It usually comes with blushing, downcast eyes, and stilted laughter. It’s like the “dampened smile,” which happens when someone tries to control their natural impulse to grin. Of course, this one occurs under far less pleasant circumstances.
How to Improve Your Smile
Smiling lets you express so much without saying a single word. It can draw you closer – or farther away – from others, depending on the quirk of your lips. You can even put yourself in a better mood by grinning for no reason. So, it only makes sense to invest in your smile. After all, it’s a powerful tool!
Do you have crooked teeth that dampen your smile? Consider undergoing orthodontic treatment with ClearCorrect. These comfortable, nearly invisible aligners apply gentle, consistent pressure on teeth to address misalignment. Having straighter teeth makes it easier to maintain a healthy mouth. Plus, enhancing how your smile looks can do wonders for your confidence.
Did you know that there were so many types of smiles? Now that you understand their differences better, you can spot them in the wild and act accordingly to strengthen your relationships. For example, comfort friends with miserable smiles or look out for co-workers who smile fearfully in front of the boss. And remember to appreciate the times you break into a big, toothy Duchenne smile!
References:
Cross, M. P., Acevedo, A. M., Leger, K. A., & Pressman, S. D. (2022). How and why could smiling influence physical health? A conceptual review. Health Psychology Review, 17(2), 321–343.
Ekman, Paul. (2023, February 17). Science of Smiling | Types of Smiles | Paul Ekman. Paul Ekman Group.
Gorvett, Z. (2022, February 28). There are 19 types of smile but only six are for happiness. BBC Future.
Gunnery, S. D., & Ruben, M. A. (2015). Perceptions of Duchenne and non-Duchenne smiles: A meta-analysis. Cognition & Emotion, 30(3), 501–515.
Martin, J., Rychlowska, M., Wood, A., & Niedenthal, P. M. (2017). Smiles as multipurpose social signals. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 21(11), 864–877.
Niedenthal, P. M., Mermillod, M., Maringer, M., & Hess, U. (2010). The Simulation of Smiles (SIMS) model: Embodied simulation and the meaning of facial expression. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 33(6), 417–433.
PerthNow. (2022, March 19). Aussies a tad smile shy, research shows. PerthNow.
Rychlowska, M., Jack, R. E., Garrod, O., Schyns, P. G., Martin, J., & Niedenthal, P. M. (2017). Functional smiles: tools for love, sympathy, and war. Psychological Science, 28(9), 1259–1270.
