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Is Smiling Contagious?

CSEF · 2016 Behavioral & Social Sciences

Cuyler R. Lusk · Santa Barbara Junior High School, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara County

Overview

Objectives/Goals The objective of this study is to determine whether smiling is contagious (to test whether smiling is passed on between people). Methods/Materials Mall, 320 random test subjects (human), my smile! Walked through the mall and recorded responses (smile or no smile) of test subjects when smiled at and not smiled at. Results Only 21% of the 160 people I did not smile at smiled at me. 71% of the 160 people I smiled at returned the smile. This showed that more people smiled at me when I smiled at them instead of when I did not smile at them. Conclusions/Discussion Multiple trials of smiling and not smiling at shoppers around the mall determined that smiling is contagious. The data shows that smiling back at someone when they smile is a natural reflex that most people do. This experiment proves the theory of mirror neurons for smiling.

Summary statement

I determined that humans are more likely to smile when smiled at than when not smiled at.

Help received

My science teacher helped me make my project study more specific. I planned and performed the experiment by myself.

Competition history

  • CSEF 2016 Behavioral & Social Sciences · Entry J0418

Resources

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