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Something to smile about: the interrelationship between attractiveness and emotional expression
Jessika Golle1, Fred W Mast, Janek S Lobmaier
1a Department of Psychology , University of Bern , Bern , Switzerland.
Cognition & Emotion
|July 24, 2013
Summary
Facial attractiveness is influenced by happiness, and a smile can make an unattractive face seem more appealing. Attractiveness also impacts how easily we perceive happiness in a face.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Social Psychology
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Previous research suggests a connection between facial emotional expression processing and perceived attractiveness.
- The interplay between facial attractiveness and the perception of happiness requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the bidirectional relationship between facial attractiveness and happiness.
- To determine how smile intensity affects attractiveness judgments.
- To assess if facial attractiveness influences happiness judgments.
Main Methods:
- Two experiments were conducted using morphed faces varying in attractiveness and happiness.
- Participants rated attractiveness in Experiment 1.
- Participants rated happiness in Experiment 2.
Main Results:
- Attractiveness judgments were significantly influenced by smile intensity; a happy expression could enhance the perception of attractiveness.
- Facial attractiveness positively influenced happiness judgments; happier faces were more easily identified when they were also more attractive.
Conclusions:
- Facial attractiveness and happiness perception are interdependent.
- These findings have implications for understanding evolutionary relevance and the rewarding aspects of positive affective displays.
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