Broad Smile Research Articles

Emerging Adults Mirror Infants' Emotions and Yawns.

Infants' nonverbal expressions-a broad smile or a sharp cry-are powerful at eliciting reactions. Although parents' reactions to their own infants' expressions are relatively well understood, here we studied whether adults more generally exhibit behavioral and physiological reactions to unfamiliar infants producing various expressions. We recruited U.S. emerging adults (N=84) prior to parenthood, 18-25 years old, 68% women, ethnically (20% Hispanic/Latino) and racially (7% Asian, 13% Black, 1% Middle Eastern, 70% White, 8% multiracial) diverse. They observed four 80-s audio-video clips of unfamiliar 2- to 6-month-olds crying, smiling, yawning, and sitting calmly (emotionally neutral control). Each compilation video depicted 9 different infants (36 clips total). We found adults mirrored behaviorally and physiologically: more positive facial expressions to infants smiling, and more negative facial expressions and pupil dilation-indicating increases in arousal-to infants crying. Adults also yawned more and had more pupil dilation when observing infants yawning. Together, these findings suggest that even nonparent emerging adults are highly sensitive to unfamiliar infants' expressions, which they naturally "catch" (i.e., behaviorally and physiologically mirror), even without instructions. Such sensitivity may have-over the course of humans' evolutionary history-been selected for, to facilitate adults' processing of preverbal infants' expressions to meet their needs.

Leveraging online selling through social media influencers

While prior research suggests that facial expression influences consumer behavior, it remains unclear under which conditions specific emotional expressions on social media drive sales performance and customer engagement. Drawing on the facial feedback hypothesis and the emotional congruence framework, two pre-registered experimental studies (N = 995) demonstrate that the fit between facial expressions (broad vs. slight smile) and endorsement type (hedonic vs. utilitarian) influence engagement and consumers’ purchase intents. Findings indicate that broad (vs. slight) smiles are more likely to enhance consumer responses when paired with hedonic endorsements driven by emotional contagion. Conversely, slight smiles are equally suited for both types of endorsements and do not foster emotional contagion. The findings offer actionable insights for maximizing consumer engagement and purchase intents within social media marketing efforts.

Is the Orthodontic Smile Considered as Aesthetic in Adult Patients?

In the last five years, pioneer studies were carried out in the Egas Moniz University Clinic surrounding the mental representation of the smile, centred on adolescent patients wearing orthodontic appliances, emerging with the results obtained as a new form of categorizing the perfect smile: The Orthodontic Smile. The present study is qualitative and exploratory and aims to understand the importance of the self-perception (mental representation) of the smile, now with the help of a new age range - Adult Patients. The sample consists of 100 subjects in the adult phase (25–59 y), namely patients wearing orthodontic appliances who were asked to draw two percepts about the self-perception of their own smile in two distinct moments: the first drawing, corresponding to before the wear of the orthodontic appliance (M1), and the second one, corresponding to drawing their smile after undergoing the orthodontic treatment (M2). The content analysis of the 200 drawings obtained was realized through a grid of content analysis, constituted by categories and subcategories. The patients also filled out a sociodemographic questionnaire, in which they responded to four open-ended questions in relation to the mental representation of the smile. Regarding the content analysis of the narrative, we highlight the fact that a Nice Smile seems to be mostly described as a Natural Smile and Aligned, being a motive for the seeking of dental treatment, primarily aesthetic issues, followed by functional considerations. When comparing the drawings before (M1) and after (M2) the wear of orthodontic appliances, the Category Broad Smile, is set up as the smile chosen as the most aesthetic. It seems that aesthetic motives represent the motivational power for the patient in the adult phase, when they decide to look for Orthodontic treatment.

La Cantatrice Chauve (The Bald Soprano); La Leçon (The Lesson); Les Chaises (The Chairs)

La Cantatrice Chauve (The Bald Soprano); La Leçon (The Lesson); Les Chaises (The Chairs)

Perceived power and smile intensity in service encounters

PurposeSmiles displayed at varying intensities by service providers may result in different social judgments by customers, affecting decision-making. This study investigates the joint effect of customers' sense of power (low vs. high) and service providers' smile intensity (slight vs. broad) on their warmth and competence perceptions in service encounters.Design/methodology/approachThe authors conducted four experiments based on the Stereotype Content Model (SCM) of social judgments and the agentic-communal model of power, and assessed the impact of perceived power and smile intensity in different service encounter contexts.FindingsThe interaction effect of customers' sense of power (low vs. high) and service providers' smile intensity (slight vs. broad) influences customers' social judgments (warmth perceptions vs. competence perceptions). A service provider who displays a broad smile is more likely to be perceived as warmer by customers with a low sense of power, but less competent by those with a high sense of power. Furthermore, mediation analysis revealed that the combined effect of customers' sense of power and service providers' smile intensity on customers' subjective well-being and purchase intentions might be attributed to their social judgments.Originality/valueThis study reveals the intrinsic mechanism behind the interaction effect between smile intensity and sense of power affecting customers' purchase intentions and subjective well-being, namely, warmth/competence perceptions.

Revisiting the effects of smile intensity on judgments of warmth and competence: The role of industry context

While prior work has assumed the compensation effect of social judgments in relation to smile intensity, this research proposes and finds that judgments of warmth elicited from broad smiles of service employees influence perceptions of competence, which in turn heighten customers' purchase intentions. Furthermore, this research unveils the moderating role of industry contexts on the smile intensity → judgments of warmth → judgments of competence relationship, suggesting that service employees' broad smiles increase perceptions of warmth, and the positive effect of judgments of warmth on judgments of competence is stronger for employees in a hedonic-oriented service industry (e.g., restaurant) than in a utilitarian-oriented service industry (e.g., law office).

Smiling AI agents: How anthropomorphism and broad smiles increase charitable giving

Anthropomorphism and construal level theories provide the bases for two studies showing that when nonprofit charity marketers design artificial intelligence (AI) agents to resemble humans and to smile like humans, potential donors feel greater psychological closeness to the agents and are motivated to increase charitable giving. Study 1 demonstrates that participants feel greater psychological closeness and willingness to donate in response to appeals from smiling AI agents that look like humans rather than like robots. Study 2 demonstrates that participants tend to donate more in reaction to appeals from humanlike (vs. machinelike) AI agents that smile broadly rather than slightly or not at all. The article concludes with a discussion of theoretical insights and practical implications for using AI representatives in nonprofit charity appeals.

On screen and stage: a performer’s perspective on life in early music, 2020–21

The life of a performing musician in the UK over the last 18 months has been something of a rollercoaster. Since the abrupt shutdown of March 2020, there have been various, often confusing stages of tentative reopening, some sense of a brave new world, alongside frustrations, instability, and a heightened awareness of the fragility of even the best-laid plans. It is natural, then, first to mention the extraordinary skill, resourcefulness and resilience of those who work in the organization and promotion of early music. They have added a long list of unexpectedly crucial skills to their toolkits, and have kept the music playing while conducting risk assessments and wielding their two-metre rulers and (against the odds) broad smiles. It is hard not to resort to cliché here, but it is simply inconceivable, now, to make music without the help of these unsung heroes and heroines. For that, all performers are...

How to Use a Spokesperson’s Smile Effectively

Drawing from the social-functional perspective, this research explored the differences in consumers’ responses to two types of spokesperson’s smile: broad and slight. The authors identified two boundary conditions: consumer self-construal (independent versus interdependent) and relationship norm (communal versus exchange). The results from two studies show that a spokesperson’s broad smile is more persuasive for consumers with interdependent self-construal in the communal relationship. By contrast, a spokesperson’s slight smile is more persuasive for consumers with independent self-construal in the exchange relationship. Processing fluency serves as the underlying mechanism. The results provide implications for marketers regarding how to use a spokesperson’s smile effectively.

For those we've lost

Every day on my way to lab, I pass a bulletin board tacked with 4-by-6 photos of a petite brunette with twinkling eyes and a broad smile. In one, she's celebrating her successful qualifying exam. In another, she's en pointe , arms arched gracefully above her head. It was in this spot just over 2 years ago that I last spoke to Maria, who was standing in the hallway eating her lunch. “Why don't you go sit down in the break room to eat?” I laughed as I passed by. “If I sit down, I'll fall asleep,” she answered. I walked on, concerned but telling myself she must have been tired from working long hours, as she always did. > “Maria's sudden death was a wake-up call. … I was only alone to the extent that I stayed silent.” A few weeks later, Maria passed away suddenly from a mysterious autoimmune disease. It was as though the life went out of our department. Maria had been a near-constant, vivid presence, and a bright light of welcome to everyone who entered the building. The hallways felt empty without the echo of her laughter. Her death was especially shocking because I, like many in the department, didn't even know she'd been sick. Maria was by all accounts the model student: She had received a prestigious fellowship, was about to publish two high-profile research articles, and was deeply involved in serving the community. It was only after her death that I learned Maria had spent the last weeks of her life searching for answers to unexplained symptoms. As I weighed her public accomplishments against her private hospitalizations and struggle to find a diagnosis, I felt like a hypocrite. For me, hiding the effects of my connective tissue disorder—my chronic pain, crushing fatigue, and skeletal deformities—was an art form. Summer of 2013, the classes taken during my recovery from major surgery to hide my summer “off.” Summer of 2016, another major surgery and the pain of sitting through a short course too soon after having my rib cage pieced together like a jigsaw puzzle. Fall of 2016, weeks of 7 a.m. physical therapy scheduled to avoid missing classes. Summer of 2017, sleeping through my flight to a conference. Perhaps worse than any of the physical symptoms was my sense of alienation from my classmates, who seemed to know more about backpacking across the country and pulling all-nighters in the lab than appealing denied health insurance claims or juggling doctor's appointments. I wondered whether there was a place for me in academic science. Maria's sudden death was a wake-up call. I began to reach out to fellow students, disability services, and the diversity office to discuss how to better support trainees with disabilities, chronic illnesses, and mental health conditions. We started a seminar series featuring senior scientists and clinicians with these conditions and held social events for trainees to connect over our shared experiences. Along the way, I met a classmate with a similar condition just down the hallway. As we compared notes on physical therapy techniques and whether our insurance covers compounded medications, I began to regret that I'd wasted 4 years in solitude. I was only alone to the extent that I stayed silent. I'd been so blinded by my fear of being vulnerable that I couldn't imagine the immense relief I would feel when I finally let go. I've now talked to countless students with a range of conditions and experiences. Ironically, the one feeling we all share is a deep sense of isolation. It can seem a privilege to be able to pass as nondisabled and avoid the potential consequences of disclosure, but it is also a curse when we choose to suffer in silence. In 4 more years, the graduate students in our department will know Maria only as a name on a plaque. But the community can honor Maria's legacy by taking steps to ease the burdens of those with chronic illnesses and disabilities. Include us in diversity initiatives. Simplify access to health care and insurance. Promote a climate that prioritizes health above productivity. Foster a sense of community where we feel safe to disclose our conditions. Show us that we belong in science and don't let us fall through the cracks.

Free Smiles Are Worth a Lot for Social Media Influencers: The Mediating Roles of Warmth, Competence, and Admiration

This research examines how visual representation of social media influencers affects perceptions and attitudes toward influencers and their persuasive messages. Using the theoretical frameworks of the Stereotype Content Model (SCM) and the Behaviors from Interpersonal Affect and Stereotypes (BIAS) Map, Study 1 demonstrated that influencers with broad smiles were perceived as warmer and more competent and evaluated more positively than those with closed smiles. Study 2 revealed that warmth and competence judgments led to admiration toward the smiling influencers, which in turn resulted in positive attitudinal and behavioral responses to their persuasive messages. By investigating the mediating effects of judgments and emotional responses toward influencers, this study reveals social cognitive mechanisms underlying psychological processing of influencer messaging.

"Stay on Your Path, Young Man"

Almost ten years ago I participated in the conference whose proceedings would become the volume Stanley Cavell and Literary Studies: Consequences of Skepticism. Stanley sat directly in front of me and listened attentively to my talk, thrilling and scary, not to say awkward, reading out “Cavell writes...” and “Cavell says...” with the man right there. After the Q and A, someone, I don't remember who, brought me over and introduced us. Stanley shook my hand and with the other patted my shoulder and said, with a broad smile, “Stay on your path, young man.”

Teamwork, the Cuban way

I settled into my seat on a plane bound for Cuba feeling frustrated. When I planned the trip, I had assumed that my Cuban collaborators and I would hit the ground running, heading out into the field straight away to collect water and sediment samples from rivers. That's how I'd done fieldwork in Namibia, Bolivia, and Greenland. But not in Cuba, it seemed. Five days earlier, a Cuban scientist emailed to inform me that we'd only be meeting to talk about our planned project. Sampling would happen during a later trip, she wrote. That left me feeling impatient and unhappy. Why did I need to travel there to have a meeting? But I had something to learn in Cuba. > “The lack of hierarchy … was unlike anything I'd experienced before in academia.” At the airport, one of my collaborators greeted me with a broad smile. “Welcome to Cuba!” he exclaimed in perfect English, giving me a strong handshake and a hug. The next day, we drove to the research center where he worked. As scorpions scurried across the floor of the conference room, each of us gave a presentation about our science and what we hoped to learn from the study of Cuban rivers. Then, we toured every lab in the building. I met scientists, technicians, secretaries, students, and the cook. Some spoke English; others communicated to me in Spanish while my collaborator translated. I was impressed that I was introduced to each person in their center. The lack of hierarchy—the team atmosphere—was unlike anything I'd experienced before in academia. The next day, we met again to brainstorm. Together, we pored over maps to plan how we were going to collect samples. Had it not been for the Cubans, I would have been unaware that the maps I had were outdated and wrong. They left out reservoirs, which was a problem because had we sampled downstream of them, our results would have been biased. Local involvement and knowledge were key—making me wonder what I'd missed working without such a team in Africa, South America, and the Arctic. Six months later, I flew back to Cuba and—this time—we headed into the field. I was impressed, yet again, by the lengths to which my collaborators went to ensure that all team members were treated equally. We drove around Cuba in bright yellow vans, and we made sure that each van had a mix of Cubans and Americans at all seniority levels. In the field, students, faculty, and technicians all sweated together. On the last night of the trip, we searched for a restaurant that could seat all 14 of us at one table—because that's what teams do, they sit together. When a restaurant couldn't accommodate the team without splitting us up, my collaborators insisted that we move on and find a place with a large enough table. In 26 years as a professor, I've always tried my best to treat my students as valued collaborators. I have never been a fan of academia's hierarchy. I want everyone working with me to feel as though they are part of a team. But my Cuban collaborators take teamwork to another level entirely. They make it clear—through actions both big and small—that all team members are valued, that everyone is equal, and that true teamwork makes for better science. I returned to the United States a changed scientist. Now, I spend more time listening and making sure that everyone's voice is heard. Four months ago, I took the Cuban approach to heart when I led a workshop for scientists from five countries. We met to discuss how we were going to analyze a few precious grams of rock collected from beneath the Greenland Ice Sheet. I made sure that every scientist had a voice in the discussions and that all 35 of us ate dinners together. The approach worked: We began as individuals, but after the workshop, we were a team. Many people outside Cuba focus on its communist system or the bad blood between our two countries. In Cuba, my collaborators taught me about coming together. I learned that the best teams recognize that individual members bring different perspectives to the table. All voices have merit, and each and every person deserves respect. I hope this essay inspires others to recognize the power of real teamwork—even during routine moments such as dinner.

Are All Smiles Perceived Equal? The Role of Service Provider’s Gender

In service encounters, employees’ emotional displays, such as smiling, play a critical role in creating positive impressions. Whereas prior research has examined the impact of displaying authentic emotional expressions on service encounter satisfaction, empirical research on the joint impact of smile intensity and the service provider’s gender is scarce. To bridge that gap, the study reported in this article examines such interactive effects on customers’ authenticity perceptions. Findings indicate that a broad smile is perceived as more authentic when the service provider is a female (versus a male). Conversely, a slight smile is more congruent with male stereotypes, thus leading to higher authenticity perceptions. This study further shows that perceived authenticity is the psychological mechanism explaining the link between smile intensity and service encounter satisfaction. The findings suggest that hospitality managers should recognize the importance of the congruency of smile intensity and gender when developing training protocols.

Esthetic assessment of celebrity smiles

Statement of problemGuidelines for planning esthetic outcomes are sparse. The present study evaluated the most noticeable characteristics of the celebrities with the most esthetic smiles. PurposeThe purpose of this observational study was to assess the smiles of celebrities based on descriptive esthetic smile criteria and to compare male and female celebrity smiles based on dentally esthetic smiles. Material and methodsAn internet search for the “most beautiful celebrity smile ranking” was conducted in 2019, resulting in 50 celebrities that had been voted for having the most beautiful smiles. A second search was conducted to locate images of the identified individuals with the whole face and a broad smile. ResultsThe most frequent characteristics of the studied variables were a normal smile line (70.7%), incisal edges parallel to the lower lip (56.1%), maxillary anterior incisal edges touching the lower lip (48.8%), a smile width of 10 teeth (53.7%), a facial midline coincident with the maxillary dental midline (51.2%), and average buccal corridors (78%). Statistically significant differences between men and women were only found in the smile arch (P<.01). ConclusionsCelebrities voted as having the most beautiful smiles comply with most of the characteristics described as esthetically pleasing, except for midline deviations. The general population is influenced by factors other than the individual’s smile.

C&amp;EN talks with Paula T. Hammond, chemical engineering leader

To get a glimpse of Paula T. Hammond’s personality, she says, one simply has to enter her office at the Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Shelves full of texts and journals surround the self-described bookworm’s desk. Splashes of color—something she says has always been a source of delight and inspiration—come from a dozen richly hued glass vases artfully arranged within the office’s large window. The space puts one at ease, something that Hammond also has a knack for doing with her broad smile and friendly manner. But on paper, Hammond can be intimidating. Not only is she MIT’s David H. Koch Professor in Engineering, but she’s also head of the school’s Chemical Engineering Department. Reflecting her broad interest in both engineering and medicine, she’s part of the MIT Energy Initiative and a founding member of the MIT Institute for Soldier Nanotechnologies. She holds

Henry Spots a Problem at Sunshine O.J. (A)

Henry Franklin works at Sunshine O.J. (Sunshine), a three-year-old, fast-growing organic orange juice manufacturer near Charleston, South Carolina. Before his employment at Sunshine, Franklin worked for about two decades in his family's business, Franklin's Hardware. Franklin learned a great deal during his time in the hardware business and hopes to use some of his insights to help Sunshine, which has been struggling to become profitable. This A case introduces inventory generally and highlights differences between “last in, first out” (LIFO) and “first in, first out” (FIFO) accounting. Franklin's manager asks him to prepare a LIFO/FIFO analysis for Sunshine based on real data so that he can present it in a management meeting. Excerpt UVA-OM-1614 May 16, 2019 Henry Spots a Problem at Sunshine O.J. (A) Introduction Henry Franklin was already imagining the praise that would come from his new boss, Virginia Silverstein. The broad smiles, the calls from upper management congratulating him, the career fast track. He could see it all unfolding in his mind's eye. It wasn't every day that the new guy, the guy who didn't even graduate from college, had a chance to stand out like this. Franklin smiled as he pulled his Honda Civic into his usual parking spot at Sunshine O.J. (Sunshine), an organic orange juice manufacturer near Charleston, South Carolina. Sunshine was a relatively new player in the orange juice game—only three years old, but growing fast. The founders had seen an opportunity to steal market share from the entrenched leaders—Tropicana, Minute Maid, Florida's Natural, and Simply Orange—by sourcing their oranges from an organic farm in Brazil. The juice had won praise from critics for its creamy, low-acid flavor and healthy aftertaste. . . .

First impression of teeth design on others: A facial and personality analysis in the Central Indian population.

Facial features and personality types vary with different geographical boundaries, culture, and ethnicity. The impression created by teeth design differs with the face and personality of males and females. This study evaluated the dominant facial and personality types and their correlation among males and females in Central Indian population. The full-face photographs of 120 people, with a broad smile and visible dentition, were calibrated to generate a facial map with digital software. The participants filled a personality questionnaire. Facial form and personality type were classified as a combination of strong, dynamic, delicate, and calm. Descriptive and inferential statistics using Chi-square and Kappa tests. The dominant facial form was calm (66.67%, 71.67%) with the second dominant facial form being dynamic (50%, 51.67%) both for males and females respectively. While the dominant personality type was dynamic (50%), the second dominant personality type was calm (35%, 30%) for both males and females. Kappa analysis showed moderate agreement between the dominant facial and personality types (P = 0.41 in males, P = 0.10 in females). The software used was SPSS 22.0 version and P < 0.05 is considered as the level of significance. A varying number of combinations are essential in characterizing the face. The personality type has a predominance of one type over other. The interpretation of these combinations in dentistry can help to select appropriate tooth forms and design a harmonious smile.

The smiling scan technique: Facially driven guided surgery and prosthetics

PurposeTo introduce a proof of concept technique and new integrated workflow to optimize the functional and esthetic outcome of the implant-supported restorations by means of a 3-dimensional (3D) facially-driven, digital assisted treatment plan. MethodsThe Smiling Scan technique permits the creation of a virtual dental patient (VDP) showing a broad smile under static conditions. The patient is exposed to a cone beam computed tomography scan (CBCT), displaying a broad smile for the duration of the examination. Intraoral optical surface scanning (IOS) of the dental and soft tissue anatomy or extraoral optical surface scanning (EOS) of the study casts are achieved. The superimposition of the digital imaging and communications in medicine (DICOM) files with standard tessellation language (STL) files is performed using the virtual planning software program permitting the creation of a VDP. ConclusionsThe smiling scan is an effective, easy to use, and low-cost technique to develop a more comprehensive and simplified facially driven computer-assisted treatment plan, allowing a prosthetically driven implant placement and the delivery of an immediate computer aided design (CAD) computer aided manufacturing (CAM) temporary fixed dental prostheses (CAD/CAM technology).

Smile Big or Not? Effects of Smile Intensity on Perceptions of Warmth and Competence

While previous works suggest the positive impact of smiles on interpersonal perceptions, this research proposes and finds that smile intensity differentially affects two fundamental dimensions of social judgments—warmth and competence. Compared to a slight smile, a marketer displaying a broad smile is more likely to be perceived by consumers as warmer but less competent. Furthermore, the facilitative effect of smile intensity on warmth perceptions is more prominent among promotion-focused consumers and in low-risk consumption contexts, while the detrimental effect of smile intensity on competence perceptions is more likely to occur among prevention-focused consumers and in high-risk consumption situations. Field observations in a crowdfunding context further indicate that the effects of smile intensity on warmth and competence perceptions have downstream consequences on actual consumer behaviors.