Are Smiles Contagious?

Have you wondered if smiles are contagious? Why do we feel like smiling ourselves after seeing a smiling baby or a happy toddler running through the park?

In honour of Smile Power Day on June 15th, we’re going to be diving into the power of a smile!

To answer our first question, we need to start with what a smile signifies. The first emotion that comes to mind is happiness, and smiles are a direct expression of a moment of joy!

Various studies over the years have found there to be a relationship between the amount of smiling we do and the mental states (and health) of those around us.

For instance, one study from the British Medical Journal by researcher James Fowler found that happiness ‘spreads’! Happiness can spread up to 3 degree of separation—meaning, a friend of a friend’s friend could influence the way you feel.

Emotions are often socially clustered in a way that makes happiness a phenomenon that spreads within groups. The effect extends geographically. For instance, say you have a friend who lives within a mile, and is generally quite happy: this can increase your chance of happiness by 25 percent! You can see the effect with spouses and next-door neighbours as well. Happiness lingers and can make people “more likely to become happy in the future.”

The same also goes for negative emotions: those surrounded by others who are unhappy are more likely to remain unhappy themselves. Many different studies have shown that the negative overpower positive influence. On average you need 4 positive interactions to overcome 1 negative one, which highlights the importance the importance of spreading your smile.

Another study from social psychologists Paula Niedenthal and Adrienne Wood found that smiling can also cause mimicry from those around us. This means that by seeing others smile, we can be influenced into reflecting that behaviour and supporting the social dynamic at hand.

So how can we keep our children smiling?

It’s important to make sure kids have regular dental checkups to maintain their oral health. Dr. Phoebe Tsang’s clinic offers a wide range of services, including checkups, diagnostics, and other procedures to make sure that your child has the happiest—and healthiest—smile around!