NewsFox 13 News (WTVT) — All NewsOctober 25, 2026Hillsborough County
Experts and researchers discuss the physical and emotional effects of smiling
Photo: Fox 13 News (WTVT) — All News
Experts suggest that making the physical change to smile more often can help regulate stress, improve mood, and potentially reduce heart rates during stressful tasks. However, researchers and educators note that while smiling can foster positive environments in schools, mandated or forced smiling can undermine emotional autonomy and cause discomfort.
Read the full story at Fox 13 News (WTVT) — All NewsWhy It Matters
People may experience changes in stress hormone levels, heart rate recovery during stressful tasks, and emotional well-being based on whether they engage in voluntary smiling or face expectations to smile in social and professional settings.
Key Facts
- Dr. Judy Ho states that smiling can increase cortisol levels and affect endorphins, dopamine, and serotonin.
- People who smiled during stressful tasks demonstrated lower heart rates during recovery compared to those with neutral expressions.
- A report from Walden University and UC Irvine experiments involving 57 subjects found that about 37% smiled while submerging hands in cold water, maintaining lower heart rates and reporting more positive emotions during recovery.
- Older research from the 1980s involved subjects holding a pencil between their lips while viewing positive movie clips to test amusement.
- The Orange County Academy of Sciences and Arts incorporates smiling into its school culture to support student learning, well-being, and relationships.
- Mandated or forced smiling can cause pushback, with some women and people of color reporting unfair expectations or stereotypes in professional and social settings.
- Nicholas Coles notes that smiling is only effective when it feels authentic and voluntary rather than mandated.
Who's Mentioned
locationSouthern California“region where the Orange County Academy of Sciences and Arts is located”OrganizationUniversity of Florida“institution where Nicholas Coles works in Gainesville”OrganizationUniversity of California at Irvine“site of experiments involving subjects and cold water immersion”OrganizationAssociated Press“news organization interviewed for the article”locationLos Angeles“city where Dr. Judy Ho is based”OrganizationStanford University“institution represented by psychology professor Jeanne Tsai”PersonJudy Ho“clinical and forensic neuropsychologist based in Los Angeles and professor at Pe”OrganizationPepperdine University“institution where Dr. Judy Ho teaches”PersonJeanne Tsai“psychology professor at Stanford University”OrganizationOrange County Academy of Sciences and Arts“school in Southern California emphasizing the power of a smile”locationGainesville“city in Florida where the University of Florida is located”PersonNicholas Coles“assistant professor running the Social Science Collaboratory at the University o”OrganizationWalden University“source of a report regarding smiling and pain management”PersonRaNae Posey“principal at OCASA Capistrano Elementary School”