We often think of smiling as a reflection of happiness, but what if the act of smiling itself has the power to shape how we feel?
This idea, known as the facial feedback hypothesis, has been debated for years and has recently been revisited by researchers across the world, yielding surprising insights into how we might use our own facial expressions to change our mental state.
In 1988, psychologists designed what is now a famous study to test this idea. Participants were asked to hold a pen in their mouths in ways that mimicked smiling or frowning. Then, they watched cartoons and rated their humour. Those in the “smiling” condition found the cartoons funnier, suggesting that facial expressions could indeed influence mood.
However, there is a “but”. Nearly two decades later, researchers tried to replicate this finding but they found no such effect. This failure to replicate the original findings raised questions about the idea that smiling can influence your mood. Might it be just a psychological myth, one resting on bad science?
To find out, over 20 labs from 19 countries then joined forces to conduct a massive study, one that would explore whether a more natural form of smiling might lead to mood improvements. This time, they introduced two ways of making participants smile: either by holding a pen in their mouths, as in the original experiment, or by mimicking a genuine smile from a photo.
What were the results from this carefully designed, cross-cultural experiment? While the pen-in-mouth method did not elevate mood, naturally smiling did lead people to report feeling happier than when they maintained a neutral expression.
Yet even these findings raised questions. Could it be that participants reported feeling happier simply because they thought that’s what the researchers wanted to hear?
In 2023, another study tackled this question. In one experiment, some participants were told the researchers expected smiling to improve mood, while others were informed that no mood boost was expected. As it happened, participants reported feeling happier even when they were told that smiling wasn’t expected to make a difference.
The researchers also looked at the power of personal belief in the effectiveness of smiling. They recruited participants from many countries, identifying those who believed in the mood-boosting potential of smiling and those who didn’t. Notably, even the “non-believers” felt happier after smiling, though the effect was stronger in believers. This finding reinforces the notion that smiling can make us feel better regardless of our prior beliefs – a finding that has implications for mental health and daily life alike.
SIMPLE TOOL
So, where does this leave us? Overall, the research indicates that putting on a natural smile does seem to boost mood, at least in the short term. Obviously, it’s not a magic bullet for deep-seated sadness, nor is it a substitute for mental health care. Still, it’s a simple tool that we might use to brighten our day when we’re feeling a bit down.
The idea of using a smile to improve mood taps into the broader concept that physical actions can influence our internal experiences. This is a core concept in CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy), where people learn that changing behaviours can often lead to shifts in feelings and thoughts. Much like taking a brisk walk can energise us or engaging in meaningful conversation can lift our spirits, smiling may provide a small but real boost to our emotional state.
Again, it’s essential to approach this research in a balanced way. Smiling on demand obviously isn’t a cure-all, and it’s not necessarily effective in moments of profound emotional difficulty. But for many of us, adding a smile to our daily routine – whether as we greet a colleague or enjoy a coffee break – might be a gentle way to nudge our mood in a positive direction.
So next time you’re feeling low, consider giving yourself permission to smile. It doesn’t need to be forced or overly enthusiastic – just a natural smile that allows you to connect, however briefly, with a lighter, brighter side of yourself. The science suggests you might find your mood lifting, if only by a small but significant degree.
(First published in Southern Star on 10/4/2025)