Can a smile help predict the future? - Human Face, The

[OrganicKing]

LOL

[newspapersuit]

Smiling releases endorphins. But knowing the Lord releases more!

[CrazyliciousFlavor]

Sure, dismiss a peer-reviewed study conducted over several decades by experts in their field, backed by at least one other study that I know of, just because the conclusions of that study confuses you and doesn't make sense according to your current world view.

I mean that's just common sense, right?

[redstarburst45]

Geeez, what if you just don't like getting your picture taken? I hate having to smile on cue; it's so unnatural. So I usually don't smile or make a crazy face. I guess 40 years from now I will be in an insane asylum.

[godverdegodverdomme]

The emotional state of these women is not on the same level.

One could've had a shitty day, while another lady got laid right before having their picture taken.

Therefore this study fails.

[Imaginator10]

bad study

[caseyjz1]

What I did not like about this study was that only one woman, the one who they predicted would be happy, actually got to SAY that she was happy. I think the third woman did seem to be the least happy, but the second lady, who got divorced, I think she seems content with her life.

I agree, though, that people who do have a more positive outlook on life will smile more and that their perspective will allow them to get through tough times.

[Everstruggling]

It seems like a lot of people here seem to be missing the point of this study. They aren't saying that smiling in one photo will make you happy for the rest of your life. Think about it. People who smile more genuinely, and more often, will probably be happier more socially adjusted than people who don't. People who smile more genuinely, and more often, will have that show on their faces by the time they are 21. So... people who have been happier in their youth will tend to be happier.

[netmoney]

I hope they did not spend any money on their research. lol  There's a lot of dumb research out there and this ranks up there with the dumbest.

[returnoftheramble3]

No, it's difficult for my face to smile. It's been an evolutionary disadvantage in my nation. I laugh all the time now, and it's random. Prior to my 'meltdown,' regardless of state, I was one of the happiest people on earth. Regardless of how much attention other people think I want, I was trapped in constantly pleasing. Your unhappiness will make me kill myself. Boy, does that make me useless though.

[siriusley13]

I think this is crap. I don't see that much difference in the smiles. A case of seeing what you want to see. Marraige as a marker? Women only in the study? This is reallly a dumb peice of work.

[midian11]

@siriusley13

Since you have studied expressions a lot it's obvious you know everything. Crow's feet is a marker of a sincier smile. Also this study does not indicate if they are happy or not but how they ...radiate I guess. Positive people mostly get more out of life as others feel more comfortable with them. There is also a recent studie suggesting that emotional inteligence can get you further in life then IQ. So there you go positive glow from a smile, better EQ, better life.

[siriusley13]

@midian11 Your first sentence is deduced from what?

I know everything? Seems to me you are trying to come off with that.

I stand by my comments.

[Graycloak]

I have a feeling that psychology will soon be the modern world's astrology. I always find psychologists to be a bit nutty, anyways. Why else would you take interest in the profession? ; )

[ssssssspps]

interesting. i smile with my mouth only and i am very depressed. if i smile with my eyes i seem to get alot of motivation.

very interesting

[USRefugee]

The first woman looks and sounds like a vapid ditz. The second woman is far more interesting and her photo looks like there's a story there.

This "study" is run on college women only - and apparently all from the same college.

The documentary is guilty of reversing cause and effect. The degree of a woman's smile by age 21 probably reflects how her life is going, which a woman would know by then, rather than the smile influencing the woman's future.

[ShawnRavenfire]

I don't think they're trying to say that a smile influences your future. All they're saying is that it's a good indicator.

[pingbong44]

it amazing how some people here are so desperate to defend this study.

i mean seriously.... its crazy, sure it 'might' be true,

but there are SOO many variables that determine if someone is happy or not in the course of their life.

to reduce it down to just a smile in 1 picture IS RIDICULOUS.

get over it, stop defending this nonsense

[nuffinmuffin]

poor asian lady

[menderfire9]

Interesting study, also a little bit scarry. It means that we had better take care of all our emotional baggage in early adulthood, but the fact is that the therapy professionals have as many issues as the rest of the population. Besides that I'd like to see this study done on a few hundred of the women, & women other than women from San Francisco. Just a personal note here, my sister &I have always had the biggest smiles in all our school pics, & my sister is a miserable troubled person.

[StrangerToEarth]

I know; this is just a little example video, sort of suggesting and putting an idea out but not proving anything. It's just a little thought-teaser, but I doubt it holds a candle to scientific theory. There was one I read, that was a bit better, in which by doing a study on hundreds of people, it was decided that tall people are generally happier and more successful. ... I know.

[ceeqanguel]

this study is bogus: have a kid bullied in school and whether or not he\she smiles on the one day of the picture, it will definitely have an impact upon his\her personality later

[StrangerToEarth]

You know..not all kids who have a history of bullying are emotionally scarred and insecure for the rest of their lives. Some of them just deal with it and move on without a scratch.

[VNTuongLai]

__ I don't know if this research would work on Hollywood actors and actresses who are able to express their faces in thousand ways.

[peterandthegoose]

This is only three people...

[jasur89]

wawaweeewa

[hdrkid]

You know, this is interesting. I have found that happy people are more successful in life.

[Dantr51]

Maybe they are happy because they are sucessful?

[menderfire9]

hdrkid, maybe its the other way around, success can make some unhappy people really happy.Just watch a bunch of very sad, lonely miserable single moms land decent jobs and better day care watch an entire segment of our population get real happy.

Hugs, granny menderfire9

[OLO7]

1 word. lol.

[sintiansai]

Duh!??..... if a bag of gold fall onto you, you dont have to smile, happy, angry, dull to become happy in the future... jesus christtttt... holy crap.........

[kagolko]

bla, bla, bla..

[atomdongle]

so basicly if you look sad, you are sad lol wtf???

[arev1977]

what nonsense!!!

[snowbag]

Seems like you shouldn't go to Mills College.

And marriage is the main marker of happiness?

[UltimateUniverse]

Wow, a test size of 3. Great research!

[raynelycan]

Do you really think it was a test group of three, or that they chose three members of the test group as an example?

[tudor1485]

They probably just chose 3 as an example, would be rubbish to base your theory on such a small test group

[vincent741]

coincidence

[WKaliber1]

I laughed because for some reason I imagined my grandfather jumping up from the open casket and start dancing to Code Red - Shut up.

[Karalovesmusic]

this is a really interesting study! But what if a person, after seeing this research, decides to purposely alter their smiling habbits/patterns? Will this change the outcome of their emotional experiences later in life?

[robertghouston]

Probably not, but I dare say some will try.

[notter101]

bunch of bs, why not compare the life story of two individuals with really wide smile pictures?

There's way too many more variables to just look at a picture taken when u are 21 and to predict the rest of your life.

[Morinethar]

That's why the question is, can it? It's a possibility, they're not saying it's certain but to receive such results is pretty interesting. It may or may not be "bs" but it could be indicative of a happier take on life, not exactly a better one but a happier one.

[mundi18]

well fuck... i never smile.

[WKaliber1]

My sister's panties

[michaelritchie200]

Interesting theory...

[Azjusz]

The degree of optimism in you determines how well will you do in your life. Laughter is the best medicine:)

[WKaliber1]

not at funerals its not

I laughed at a funeral and almost got beat up

[mandawander]

i laughed at my Grandads funeral, not because i wanted to, but thats just the way i am, i laugh at EVERYTHING!!!

[VentoDriver]

HAHAHA

[WKaliber1]

did you see the song and video by Code red? you'll know why I laughed

[Azjusz]

I knew someone that did that too. He said that he has just recieved a great energy and couldn't control it so he laughted. People hated him for that, because that was his mother's funeral, but i know he wasn't "evil". Laughter is good in general as everybody knows, but we cannot always control all the other emotions.

[RazaSiddiqui]

I find it hard to believe - I question the research.