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There’s a cool test on BBC’s website
that measures your ability to know when someone’s smile
is genuine. To take the test,
click here.
Here's a
hint. The secret is watching the eyes.
Here’s the debriefing given by the
website on how to tell the difference between a
real and a fake smile.
Although fake smiles often look very similar to genuine
smiles, they are actually slightly different, because
they are brought about by different muscles, which are
controlled by different parts of the brain.
Fake smiles can be performed at will, because the brain
signals that create them come from the conscious part of
the brain and prompt the zygomaticus major muscles in
the cheeks to contract. These are the muscles that pull
the corners of the mouth outwards.
Genuine smiles, on the other hand, are generated by the
unconscious brain, so are automatic. When people feel
pleasure, signals pass through the part of the brain
that processes emotion. As well as making the mouth
muscles move, the muscles that raise the cheeks – the
orbicularis oculi and the pars orbitalis – also
contract, making the eyes crease up, and the eyebrows
dip slightly.
At
Speechworks we help our clients learn how to communicate
in a way that connects and persuades. If you’re
interested in becoming a great communicator give us a
call at 404-266-0888 or check out our website at
www.speechworks.net. |
