Primatologist Signe Preuschoft traces the smile back over 30 million years of evolution to a “fear grin” stemm ing from monkeys and apes who often used barely clenched teeth to portray to predators that they were harmless[citation needed], or to signal submission to more dominant group members. The smile may have evolved differently among species and especially among humans.[2]
A smile seems to have a favorable influence upon others and makes one likable and more approachable.[3] In the social context, smiling and laughter have different functions in the order of sequence in social situations:
- Smiling is sometimes a pre-laughing device and is a common pattern for paving the way to laughter;
- Smiling can be used as a response to laughter.[4]
Smiling is a signaling system that evolved from a need to communicate information in many different forms. One of these is an advertisement of sexual interest. Female smiles are appealing to heterosexual males, increasing physical attractiveness and enhancing sex appeal. However, recent research indicates a man’s smile may or may not be most effective in attracting heterosexual women, and that facial expressions such as pride or even shame might be more effective. The researchers did not explicitly study the role of smiles in other sexual preferences.[5]
As reinforcement and manipulationEdit
The influence of smiling on others is not necessarily benign. It may take the form of positive reinforcement, possibly for an underhand manipulative and abusive purpose.[6] See also superficial smile.
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