Have you ever wondered about the psychological implications of facial expressions? I mean, people in general (including ourselves) share some common consensus about what facial expressions may mean to others, but what impact do facial expressions have on the person making the expression? What effect do they have on us? Let me start with an example. A smile, without referencing its negative applications, is defined in the Oxford English dictionary as "a slight and more or less involuntary movement of the countenance expressive of pleasure, amusement, [and] affection." So it seems that a smile is an emotional representation of something good, a symbol of security. The "smile" is also relatively universal in this context across countries, nations, and cultures, even if it is not expressed as often. Now imagine a world that forbade smiles and promoted the display of just blank faces, i.e. a world without good or feeling of security. I may be radical in saying this, that there is no "good" or "security" in a world without smiles, but am I radical in saying that the world, that people, emotionally, would be a lot different, more gloomy, if forbidden to smile and encouraged to live life with an emotionless face?
So not smiling does not make us feel too good about ourselves, and it can also make others treat us negatively; as a result, we feel just as bad about ourselves. In fact, researchers believe that not smiling, or having the inability to make such a facial expression, can increase one's susceptibility to coronary heart disease and depression. And it also works the other way around; if you smile more than you actually frown, then you would be less susceptible to those illnesses. The only reason I decided to write about this topic is because I read about this concept of facial expressions back in my AP Psychology class in high school; however, an article I came across, Simply Only on the Surface, has a bit of a twist but sticks to this notion of facial expressions. It talks about Dr. Eric Finzi and a book that he has recently written about on Botox. As a proponent of the product, Dr. Finzi believes that the use of Botox to remove frown lines and relieve migranes by injections to the forhead can have positive emotional effects on a person, and does not solely have to be used for the purpose of vanity. In accordance with this "facial-feedback hypothesis," Dr. Finzi also believes that the use of Botox to clear frown lines can eventually lead to fewer divorces, better careers, and prevention from cancer. These ideas seem a bit far-fetched and exaggerated (Forestalling cancer? Really?). The bottom line is, even without Botox, people will often feel better about themselves when they smile and will treat others accordingly. And when frowning comes into play, people will often back away, ignore, or possibly inquire about such an expression; nonetheless, frowning definitely does not cause that warm feeling inside that a smile does. I relate this "feel good" phenonmenon to the clothes I wear. Wearing baggy sweatpants and a hoodie does not make me feel too happy about myself, even though it makes me feel comfortable. But when I actually take the time to dress up and look presentable, I feel pretty good about myself.
But what do you guys think? Is right to make such a correlation between smiling and feeling good and frowning and feeling bad, or does correlation not necessarily imply causation? How can this be related to the topic of obesity, in which some people find extra fat on the body to be a symbol of unhealthy living, while others (often those suffering with weight problems) find extra fat on the body sexually appealing?
-Rad
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I find the part about smiling decreasing the risk of heart disease and depression to be rather interesting. I never really though about the effects facial expressions could have on the body, though I am a bit wary about the claim that Botox use would lead to fewer divorces.
ReplyDeleteIt is an interesting concept for sure, and maybe some relation does exist, but whether it is scientifically true (I have my doubts), I think that will be very difficult to actually prove just because there are so many factors that can play a vital role. For example, people who smile generally tend to be happier. But maybe happy people are happy because they have made certain 'right' decisions in their lives and have had to face fewer problems. That could be a reason as to why they smile more often, and generally tend to be more healthy. Behind every smile is some kind of impetus that causes that smile. It's almost as if the smile is the middleman between the cause and the effect, and it most likely is. The smile causes an impulse that is sent to the amygdala, the pleasure/fear center of our brains, and the body responds appropriately (in our case, a person that is healthier). But I guess the overall question is whether the 'pleasure' starts with the action (impetus), or the smile itself. And as for Botox leading to fewer divorces, the author (Dr. Finzi) of this book is a strong supporter of the relationship between Botox and healthy living. He could possibly be exaggerating.
DeleteBecause smiling can make us feel happier over all and have a more positive attitude, rather than be sad or depressed all the time, do you think it is possible that someone can get addicted to Botox injections in a similar way perhaps to drugs or something of the sort, as a way to feel better? Like, if I was a depressed person before Botox injections, and then after an injection, I notice myself as a happier person, could I get addicted to getting Botox injections so I could avoid feeling depressed? Is this already something that exists out there in the world? So although Botox injections could seem to be a good thing, could they also possibly be a bad thing due to the possibility of addiction and anything else that may come along with that?
ReplyDeleteWhether Botox is a positive or negative thing on the human body depends on the person the question is posed to--it varies upon the situation. Personally, I'm pro-choice, but only to the extent that its use is not abused, meaning that the intentional use of Botox (to feel better about oneself--be happier) is not outweighed by negative effects (other health concerns (too much of anything is not good for you--Botox numbs the surrounding nerves and could cause nerve damage to the area at which it is injected), money problems). As for addiction in terms of Botox injections, it is very possible. Just as new strains of disease call for an ever growing variety of antibiotics, so to may Botox injections cause for a new group of addicts. Like I said, never is too much of anything good for you. Drinking an exceeding amount of water in one sitting can even kill you. It's like Newton's third law of action-reaction pairs: positive and negative effects seem to only come in pairs. In essence, although Botox may make people happy and provide health benefits in the short term, it may as well cause for a possible addict in the long-term.
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