Psychology News Robot on Nostr: DATE: February 15, 2025 at 06:00AM SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG ** Research quality varies ...
DATE: February 15, 2025 at 06:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG
** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
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TITLE: New psychology research uncovers an unexpected benefit of smiling
URL: https://www.psypost.org/new-psychology-research-uncovers-an-unexpected-benefit-of-smiling/
Smiling, often associated with happiness and joy, might be more than just a simple expression of positive emotion. A recent study published in the Journal of Positive Psychology suggests that smiling during moments of pain can have a noticeable effect on our bodies and minds. Researchers discovered that people who spontaneously smiled while undergoing a painful task experienced a lower heart rate throughout the experiment and reported feeling better emotionally afterward. This suggests that smiling could be a natural coping mechanism that helps us manage physical discomfort.
The idea that our facial muscles can actually affect our emotions is known as the Facial Feedback Hypothesis. While we know people sometimes smile when they are in pain or distress, it wasn’t clear if this spontaneous smiling had any real benefits in managing pain. The new study aimed to explore whether these naturally occurring smiles could play a role in how we handle painful experiences, both physically and emotionally.
“Facial expressions are a universal means of communication, yet many people rarely pause to consider their deeper significance,” said study author Jazlyn H. Luu, a clinical psychology PhD student at UC Irvine. “We wanted to explore beyond the surface and uncover the functions facial expressions (particularly smiling) serve beyond merely conveying emotion. In this study, we look at one possible function: how smiling might help manage pain.”
To investigate this, the researchers recruited 57 participants, mostly university students around 20 years old. The study involved a standard procedure called the cold pressor task, which is used to induce temporary pain in a controlled setting. Participants were asked to place their non-dominant hand into a bucket of very cold water, kept at a consistently chilly temperature just above freezing. They were instructed to keep their hand in the water for as long as they could tolerate, up to a maximum of two minutes.
Throughout the experiment, the researchers monitored the participants’ heart rates using sensors placed on their chests. Their faces were also recorded using video cameras and analyzed with specialized software that could detect and measure facial expressions, specifically smiles.
Before the cold water task, participants completed some questionnaires to assess their current mood and general stress levels. They also had a period of rest and a writing task about their morning routine to establish a baseline. After the cold water challenge and a recovery period of five minutes, participants were asked to rate their pain and distress levels during the task, as well as their current emotional state.
To measure their emotional state, the researchers used a questionnaire that asked about various feelings like happiness, cheerfulness, and calmness, allowing them to calculate a score for positive emotion. The facial expression software analyzed the video recordings to determine if participants smiled during the cold water task and, if so, for how long. The software tracked the movement of different facial muscles to identify smiles and other expressions. The researchers then compared the heart rates, pain reports, and emotional states of participants who smiled during the cold water task with those who did not.
The results revealed some interesting connections between smiling and responses to pain. The researchers found that participants who spontaneously smiled at any point during the cold water task had lower heart rates throughout the entire study, even before they put their hand in the cold water.
“Surprisingly, many people naturally smile in uncomfortable situations (like pain, but also in unpleasant social situations)! We really wanted to understand why, and our findings pointed to some possible explanations, suggesting that smiling through the discomfort can help both the mind and body to better cope,” Luu told PsyPost.
“Past studies have looked into this as well, pointing to smiling as a type of ‘stress buffer’ that can counter the negative impacts of stressful situations (see Pressman et al., 2021, a study that looked at how smiling can improve the experience of a needle-injection). While many past studies experimentally manipulated smiling, our study seeked to explore if natural smiles are powerful enough to have the same impact.”
In fact, those who smiled had heart rates that were consistently lower – by about 7 to 8 beats per minute – during rest, while writing, during the cold water task itself, and during the recovery period, compared to those who did not smile. However, the length of time someone smiled did not seem to influence their heart rate. It was the simple act of smiling, regardless of how long it lasted, that appeared to be linked to a lower heart rate.
Interestingly, smiling did not have a significant impact on how participants rated their pain or distress levels immediately after the cold water task. There was no clear difference in reported pain or distress between those who smiled and those who did not. However, when it came to their emotional state after recovering from the pain, there was a subtle but noteworthy finding.
While simply smiling or not smiling didn’t change overall positive emotion scores, the duration of smiling did matter. Participants who smiled for a longer time during the cold water task reported feeling more positive emotion after the recovery period. This suggests that while smiling might not directly reduce the immediate sensation of pain, it could contribute to a better emotional recovery afterward.
“Smiling is more than just a simple expression of joy or happiness,” Luu said. “It plays a role in pain regulation and helps the mind and body cope better in the face of stressful events like acute pain.”
But, like all research, there are some limitations. The number of participants was relatively small, which could limit the ability to detect subtle effects, especially for self-reported pain and emotion. Also, the majority of participants were women, and there are known differences between men and women in how they experience and express pain and emotions. Future studies should include more men and a larger, more diverse group of people to confirm these findings and see if they apply more broadly.
Furthermore, the facial expression software used could detect smiles, but it could not differentiate between different types of smiles, such as genuine smiles of joy versus what are sometimes called “miserable smiles.” Future research could use more sophisticated methods to analyze the nuances of smiling expressions and understand if different types of smiles have different effects.
“I would like to continue researching the power of smiles, particularly through the lens of the Facial Feedback Hypothesis,” Luu said. “This hypothesis suggests that merely activating certain facial muscles can influence emotional experience, thus, I aim to conduct more studies to rigorously test this phenomenon. I would also like to explore the clinical implications of smiling during distress. For example, for individuals who experience low moods and depressive symptoms, understanding whether smiling can serve as a beneficial therapeutic strategy can inform future interventions and contribute to bolstering mental health in the community.”
The study, “The power of smiles: mitigating pain through facial expression,” was authored by Jazlyn H. Luu, Amanda M. Acevedo, Vida Pourmand, and Sarah D. Pressman.
URL: https://www.psypost.org/new-psychology-research-uncovers-an-unexpected-benefit-of-smiling/
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SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG
** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------
TITLE: New psychology research uncovers an unexpected benefit of smiling
URL: https://www.psypost.org/new-psychology-research-uncovers-an-unexpected-benefit-of-smiling/
Smiling, often associated with happiness and joy, might be more than just a simple expression of positive emotion. A recent study published in the Journal of Positive Psychology suggests that smiling during moments of pain can have a noticeable effect on our bodies and minds. Researchers discovered that people who spontaneously smiled while undergoing a painful task experienced a lower heart rate throughout the experiment and reported feeling better emotionally afterward. This suggests that smiling could be a natural coping mechanism that helps us manage physical discomfort.
The idea that our facial muscles can actually affect our emotions is known as the Facial Feedback Hypothesis. While we know people sometimes smile when they are in pain or distress, it wasn’t clear if this spontaneous smiling had any real benefits in managing pain. The new study aimed to explore whether these naturally occurring smiles could play a role in how we handle painful experiences, both physically and emotionally.
“Facial expressions are a universal means of communication, yet many people rarely pause to consider their deeper significance,” said study author Jazlyn H. Luu, a clinical psychology PhD student at UC Irvine. “We wanted to explore beyond the surface and uncover the functions facial expressions (particularly smiling) serve beyond merely conveying emotion. In this study, we look at one possible function: how smiling might help manage pain.”
To investigate this, the researchers recruited 57 participants, mostly university students around 20 years old. The study involved a standard procedure called the cold pressor task, which is used to induce temporary pain in a controlled setting. Participants were asked to place their non-dominant hand into a bucket of very cold water, kept at a consistently chilly temperature just above freezing. They were instructed to keep their hand in the water for as long as they could tolerate, up to a maximum of two minutes.
Throughout the experiment, the researchers monitored the participants’ heart rates using sensors placed on their chests. Their faces were also recorded using video cameras and analyzed with specialized software that could detect and measure facial expressions, specifically smiles.
Before the cold water task, participants completed some questionnaires to assess their current mood and general stress levels. They also had a period of rest and a writing task about their morning routine to establish a baseline. After the cold water challenge and a recovery period of five minutes, participants were asked to rate their pain and distress levels during the task, as well as their current emotional state.
To measure their emotional state, the researchers used a questionnaire that asked about various feelings like happiness, cheerfulness, and calmness, allowing them to calculate a score for positive emotion. The facial expression software analyzed the video recordings to determine if participants smiled during the cold water task and, if so, for how long. The software tracked the movement of different facial muscles to identify smiles and other expressions. The researchers then compared the heart rates, pain reports, and emotional states of participants who smiled during the cold water task with those who did not.
The results revealed some interesting connections between smiling and responses to pain. The researchers found that participants who spontaneously smiled at any point during the cold water task had lower heart rates throughout the entire study, even before they put their hand in the cold water.
“Surprisingly, many people naturally smile in uncomfortable situations (like pain, but also in unpleasant social situations)! We really wanted to understand why, and our findings pointed to some possible explanations, suggesting that smiling through the discomfort can help both the mind and body to better cope,” Luu told PsyPost.
“Past studies have looked into this as well, pointing to smiling as a type of ‘stress buffer’ that can counter the negative impacts of stressful situations (see Pressman et al., 2021, a study that looked at how smiling can improve the experience of a needle-injection). While many past studies experimentally manipulated smiling, our study seeked to explore if natural smiles are powerful enough to have the same impact.”
In fact, those who smiled had heart rates that were consistently lower – by about 7 to 8 beats per minute – during rest, while writing, during the cold water task itself, and during the recovery period, compared to those who did not smile. However, the length of time someone smiled did not seem to influence their heart rate. It was the simple act of smiling, regardless of how long it lasted, that appeared to be linked to a lower heart rate.
Interestingly, smiling did not have a significant impact on how participants rated their pain or distress levels immediately after the cold water task. There was no clear difference in reported pain or distress between those who smiled and those who did not. However, when it came to their emotional state after recovering from the pain, there was a subtle but noteworthy finding.
While simply smiling or not smiling didn’t change overall positive emotion scores, the duration of smiling did matter. Participants who smiled for a longer time during the cold water task reported feeling more positive emotion after the recovery period. This suggests that while smiling might not directly reduce the immediate sensation of pain, it could contribute to a better emotional recovery afterward.
“Smiling is more than just a simple expression of joy or happiness,” Luu said. “It plays a role in pain regulation and helps the mind and body cope better in the face of stressful events like acute pain.”
But, like all research, there are some limitations. The number of participants was relatively small, which could limit the ability to detect subtle effects, especially for self-reported pain and emotion. Also, the majority of participants were women, and there are known differences between men and women in how they experience and express pain and emotions. Future studies should include more men and a larger, more diverse group of people to confirm these findings and see if they apply more broadly.
Furthermore, the facial expression software used could detect smiles, but it could not differentiate between different types of smiles, such as genuine smiles of joy versus what are sometimes called “miserable smiles.” Future research could use more sophisticated methods to analyze the nuances of smiling expressions and understand if different types of smiles have different effects.
“I would like to continue researching the power of smiles, particularly through the lens of the Facial Feedback Hypothesis,” Luu said. “This hypothesis suggests that merely activating certain facial muscles can influence emotional experience, thus, I aim to conduct more studies to rigorously test this phenomenon. I would also like to explore the clinical implications of smiling during distress. For example, for individuals who experience low moods and depressive symptoms, understanding whether smiling can serve as a beneficial therapeutic strategy can inform future interventions and contribute to bolstering mental health in the community.”
The study, “The power of smiles: mitigating pain through facial expression,” was authored by Jazlyn H. Luu, Amanda M. Acevedo, Vida Pourmand, and Sarah D. Pressman.
URL: https://www.psypost.org/new-psychology-research-uncovers-an-unexpected-benefit-of-smiling/
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot Psych Today Unofficial Bot (npub1f9w…zken)
NYU Information for Practice puts out 400-500 good quality health-related research posts per week but its too much for many people, so that bot is limited to just subscribers. You can read it or subscribe at Psychology/Health Research Bot (npub1qwp…e9uy)
Since 1991 The National Psychologist has focused on keeping practicing psychologists current with news, information and items of interest. Check them out for more free articles, resources, and subscription information: https://www.nationalpsychologist.com
EMAIL DAILY DIGEST OF RSS FEEDS -- SUBSCRIBE: http://subscribe-article-digests.clinicians-exchange.org
READ ONLINE: http://read-the-rss-mega-archive.clinicians-exchange.org
It's primitive... but it works... mostly...
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy psychotherapist group (npub1x3e…zuw2) psychotherapists group (npub1wu6…vf2v) psychology group (npub1wde…dg4n) socialpsych group (npub14cm…6ev9) socialwork group (npub1qc5…3jwr) psychiatry group (npub1mmd…d9x9) #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist