Smile

A smile uses the muscles by your mouth.

It can show you feel joy or fun. Some smiles also move the muscles by your eyes.

This can make you look very friendly. People in different lands use smiles in different ways. Some people smile when they feel shy or sad. In some places, smiling at strangers is not common.

Monkeys and apes use teeth to show they are not a threat. Smiling is a way to talk without words.

A smile is a way to show feelings. It uses the muscles at the sides of your mouth.

Some smiles are special. They use muscles around the eyes too. We call this a Duchenne smile. It can look like you are "smizing," or smiling with your eyes.

Other smiles only move the mouth. These can be used just to be polite.

People use smiles to show joy or fun. They also help us make friends. Smiling can make a person seem friendly. But smiles can also mean different things. In some cultures, people smile when they feel shy. In other places, smiling at strangers is not common. Some people might even think too much smiling is dishonest.

Smiles may have started a long time ago. Some monkeys and apes show their teeth to show they are not a threat.

This is a sign that they are not going to fight. Humans have changed this into a way to show happiness. Some people also have dimples in their cheeks. Dimples are small holes in the skin. You get them from your parents through your genes.

A smile is a facial expression made by moving muscles. Most smiles happen when you flex the muscles at the sides of your mouth.

Humans use smiles to show many happy feelings. You might smile when you feel joy, amusement, or sociability. A smile is different from a grimace. A grimace is a facial expression for feeling anxious.

Some smiles are more special than others. These involve the muscles around the eyes too.

There are two main ways a smile works. A Duchenne smile uses two different muscle groups. First, the zygomatic major muscle pulls the mouth corners up. Second, the orbicularis oculi muscle pulls the cheeks up. This second part creates small lines called crow's feet.

This kind of smile is often called "smizing." This means you are smiling with your eyes. A different kind is the non-Duchenne smile. This only uses the muscle at the mouth. Some people call a fake version a "Pan Am smile."

Scientists have studied these expressions for a long time. A French neurologist named Guillaume Duchenne studied them in the mid-19th century. He identified the two distinct types of smiles. He found how the muscles work together to change a face.

Later, researchers found that Duchenne smiles show real positive emotion. Other studies looked at how people see smiles in different cultures. These researchers looked at photos of students and political leaders. They even watched how people smile in everyday life.

Smiling can mean different things in different places. In the U.S. and France, smiles are very common. However, smiles are less common in Japan or China. In some parts of Asia, a smile might show embarrassment. In the former Soviet Union area, smiling at strangers can seem unusual. Some people might even think a smile is a sign of stupidity.

In some places, too much smiling can seem dishonest. This shows that a smile is not the same everywhere.

Smiles have a very old history in nature. A researcher named Signe Preuschoft traces them back 30 million years. They may have started as a "fear grin" in monkeys and apes. These animals show teeth to show they are not a threat.

This is a way to signal submission to others. Some animals like Barbary macaques use open mouths to play. Some humans also have dimples when they smile. Dimples come from a special muscle in the cheek. They are a trait you inherit from your parents.

A smile is a facial expression formed by flexing specific muscles. Most smiles involve the muscles located at the sides of the mouth.

Humans use these expressions to communicate many things. They can show delight, happiness, joy, or amusement. They also signal sociability. A smile is different from a grimace. A grimace is an expression of anxiety.

While smiles are common, they are not the same in every culture.

Researchers have identified two distinct types of smiles based on muscle use. The first is called a Duchenne smile. This type involves the zygomatic major muscle, which raises the corners of the mouth. It also involves the orbicularis oculi muscle. This second muscle raises the cheeks and creates lines around the eyes called crow's feet.

This is often called "smizing," or smiling with the eyes. The second type is a non-Duchenne smile. This involves only the zygomatic major muscle. Some call a polite, fake version a "Pan Am smile." This name comes from flight attendants at the former Pan American World Airways.

In the mid-19th century, a French neurologist named Guillaume Duchenne studied facial expressions. He discovered the physiological differences between these two types of smiles. Recent research has expanded on his work. Scientists now suggest that Duchenne smiles are uniquely associated with positive emotions. In contrast, a non-Duchenne smile might be used just to show politeness. Today, technology even helps analyze these expressions. Orthodontics uses artificial intelligence, such as software called Dynasmile, to assess Duchenne smiles in videos.

Smiling has a very long evolutionary history. Primatologist Signe Preuschoft traces the smile back over 30 million years. It likely began as a "fear grin" in monkeys and apes. These animals use barely clenched teeth to show they are harmless. They also use it to signal submission to dominant group members.

Other animals use mouth displays differently. For example, Barbary macaques use an open mouth to show playfulness. This may have similar roots to the human smile.

Cultural differences change how people perceive a smile. In the U.S. and France, smiling is very common. This is visible in photos of students or political leaders. However, smiles are less common in China or Japan. In some parts of Asia, people might smile to show embarrassment or emotional pain. In the former Soviet Union area, smiling at strangers can seem suspicious or even like a sign of stupidity. In some societies, too much smiling can suggest a person is shallow or dishonest.

Social settings also influence how smiles work. Smiling can be a way to make oneself more approachable or likable. It often acts as a pre-laughing device that paves the way to laughter. It can also be used as a response to someone else's laughter. However, smiling is not always positive. It can be used as a form of manipulation or reinforcement. In societies with high levels of corruption, people may trust smiling individuals less.

Some people have dimples that appear when they smile. Dimples are caused by a bifid zygomaticus major muscle. This means the muscle is split into two parts. One part inserts at the corner of the mouth. The other part inserts below the corner. These strands pull on the skin to create a dip. Dimples are a dominant trait, meaning they are genetically inherited. The shape of a person's face can change how they look. For example, people with long, narrow faces often have narrow dimples. People with short, broad faces may have circular dimples.