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Maryjane · Jan 10, 2008, 07:44 pm

Quote:

Most people are surprisingly bad at spotting fake smiles. One possible explanation for this is that it may be easier for people to get along if they don't always know what others are really feeling.

Although fake smiles often look very similar to genuine smiles, they are actually slightly different, because they are brought about by different muscles, which are controlled by different parts of the brain.

Fake smiles can be performed at will, because the brain signals that create them come from the conscious part of the brain and prompt the zygomaticus major muscles in the cheeks to contract. These are the muscles that pull the corners of the mouth outwards.

Genuine smiles, on the other hand, are generated by the unconscious brain, so are automatic. When people feel pleasure, signals pass through the part of the brain that processes emotion.

To take the test, click on the link:

BBC - Science & Nature - Human Body and Mind - Spot The Fake Smile

I got 16 out of 20 correct. Interesting, the four I missed were men. (I'm not sure what sex #13 was?) How well did you do?

gela · Jan 11, 2008, 04:43 am

lol. I got 10/20.

I only just passed.

Im more good at spotting fake smiles from the context of the smile, then looking at the smile itself.

I dont think it has anything to do with the gender of the smile.. most of the people were men.

Chaossaber314 · Jan 11, 2008, 09:16 am

17 / 20

Yeeeah, boi!

I didn't even pay attention to their mouths. I looked at their eyes.

Maryjane · Jan 11, 2008, 04:35 pm

Quote:

I didn't even pay attention to their mouths. I looked at their eyes.

Same here...and the body language. I wonder if my suspicious nature is reflected in my score? gela, would you consider yourself a trusting person?

simple simon · Jan 11, 2008, 06:12 pm

13 out of 20 here

Yasa · Jan 11, 2008, 06:31 pm

Heh, I got 19/20. I judged based on their eyes and if they laughed or not.

gela · Jan 11, 2008, 09:13 pm

Quote:

Same here...and the body language. I wonder if my suspicious nature is reflected in my score? gela, would you consider yourself a trusting person?

umm.. I am trusting of strangers.. and I am trusting of my good friends who I know well.
But im distrusting of people who I have reason to distrust - People who bitch about other people to me, or people who are always judging.

Nono · Jan 12, 2008, 05:31 am

I got 16 out of 20, and did it by watching the eyes.

The four I got wrong were all genuine whereas I rated them fake. Well, I'm afraid I have to conclude that skepticism is still the best policy.

another day · Jan 12, 2008, 08:41 pm

This is total bull... Why are we to believe the test makers somehow know which smiles are genuine and which are fake?

Seems all the people are just standing there in a set up scenario... A better test would be photographs of people caught off guard smiling, etc.

simple simon · Jan 12, 2008, 08:48 pm

Quote:

Quote by: another day

This is total bull... Why are we to believe the test makers somehow know which smiles are genuine and which are fake?

you think maybe they asked the subjects ? ...... naw ,, that would be too easy

another day · Jan 12, 2008, 08:56 pm

Quote:

Quote by: simple simon

you think maybe they asked the subjects ? ...... naw ,, that would be too easy

Lol... are you serious? You ask someone to smile and then ask them if their smile was genuine or fake?

simple simon · Jan 12, 2008, 09:03 pm

Quote:

Quote by: another day

Lol... are you serious? You ask someone to smile and then ask them if their smile was genuine or fake?

10 they told a joke and got a genuine smile .... the other 10 the asked to smile for no apparent reason

seems logical

Maryjane · Jan 12, 2008, 09:07 pm

Complaint department:

</title> </head> <body> <h1></h1> <title>Paul Ekman, Ph.D.

Did you take the test? If so, what was your score?

another day · Jan 16, 2008, 02:19 pm

I didn't take the test, I found it tedious after 2 of them. Your explanation of the joke is fine, so they obviously didn't just "ask them".

Turismo2029 · Jan 19, 2008, 09:21 pm

I got 20/20, by watching their eyes, and whether or not they actually laughed, and one of them looked like they were packed with make up, but still laughed, so I guessed "genuine" and got it right.
I was correct in assuming I couldn't see her eye corners wrinkle because of the amount of make up.

Then again, I'm interested in psychology a lot, will be studying it next year, and have watched heaps of stuff about it on SBS before.
So yeah, I already knew what to look for, and I've read 3 body language books. >_>

EDIT: Yeah, obviously some would have had to have been told a joke, otherwise we'd all tick fake every time, and always be correct regardless of how hard they tried, I for one wouldn't be fooled by any who weren't told a joke, or observed something humorous.

hairwire · Jan 22, 2008, 10:09 pm

I got 14/20. I did it by looking at their entire face, but concentrated on their eyes. All the wrong ones I got apart from one were men.

And #13 is definitely a hard one the crack as far as gender is concerned

Nono · Jan 26, 2008, 06:25 am

Female is my guess. Bit of a bony face is all.

sinequanon · Jan 26, 2008, 08:19 am

The experiment is a bit silly. There is no way to guarantee a genuine smile. I assume they mean an involuntary smile, but a smile can easily be a mixture of both voluntary and involuntary action.

Jan 11, 2008, 09:16 am	#3 (permalink) (top)
Chaossaber314 The Cake is a lie... Location: St. Louis Posts: 2,365	17 / 20 Yeeeah, boi! I didn't even pay attention to their mouths. I looked at their eyes. What makes a man turn neutral? Lust for gold? Power? Or were you just born with a heart full of neutrality? Last edited by Chaossaber314; Jan 11, 2008 at 09:46 am.

Jan 11, 2008, 06:12 pm	#5 (permalink) (top)
simple simon Great Knower Of All Location: Maine Posts: 240	13 out of 20 here When I look at you, I doubt I could eat the amount I wanna vomit

Jan 11, 2008, 06:31 pm	#6 (permalink) (top)
Yasa Spiral Out Location: Canada Posts: 510	Heh, I got 19/20. I judged based on their eyes and if they laughed or not. Praying for tidal waves. Learn to swim.

Jan 12, 2008, 05:31 am	#8 (permalink) (top)
Nono Throbbing Member Location: Old Europe Posts: 7,161	I got 16 out of 20, and did it by watching the eyes. The four I got wrong were all genuine whereas I rated them fake. Well, I'm afraid I have to conclude that skepticism is still the best policy. "I wish I was as cocksure of anything as Tom Macaulay is of everything." -- Viscount Melbourne

Jan 12, 2008, 08:41 pm	#9 (permalink) (top)
another day slipping sand Posts: 1,977	This is total bull... Why are we to believe the test makers somehow know which smiles are genuine and which are fake? Seems all the people are just standing there in a set up scenario... A better test would be photographs of people caught off guard smiling, etc. Look out kid, they keep it all hid.

Jan 11, 2008, 04:43 am	#2 (permalink) (top)
gela Vampire Location: Newcastle, Australia Posts: 930	lol. I got 10/20. I only just passed. Im more good at spotting fake smiles from the context of the smile, then looking at the smile itself. I dont think it has anything to do with the gender of the smile.. most of the people were men.

Jan 12, 2008, 09:07 pm	#13 (permalink) (top)
Maryjane Amused Location: Mid Atlantic Posts: 1,247	Complaint department: </title> </head> <body> <h1></h1> <title>Paul Ekman, Ph.D. Did you take the test? If so, what was your score? That you may retain your self-respect, it is better to displease the people by doing what you know is right, than to temporarily please them by doing what you know is wrong. W. J. H. Boetcker

Jan 16, 2008, 02:19 pm	#14 (permalink) (top)
another day slipping sand Posts: 1,977	I didn't take the test, I found it tedious after 2 of them. Your explanation of the joke is fine, so they obviously didn't just "ask them". Look out kid, they keep it all hid.

Jan 19, 2008, 09:21 pm	#15 (permalink) (top)
Turismo2029 Sedimentary Rock Posts: 21	I got 20/20, by watching their eyes, and whether or not they actually laughed, and one of them looked like they were packed with make up, but still laughed, so I guessed "genuine" and got it right. I was correct in assuming I couldn't see her eye corners wrinkle because of the amount of make up. Then again, I'm interested in psychology a lot, will be studying it next year, and have watched heaps of stuff about it on SBS before. So yeah, I already knew what to look for, and I've read 3 body language books. >_> EDIT: Yeah, obviously some would have had to have been told a joke, otherwise we'd all tick fake every time, and always be correct regardless of how hard they tried, I for one wouldn't be fooled by any who weren't told a joke, or observed something humorous.

Jan 22, 2008, 10:09 pm	#16 (permalink) (top)
hairwire Sedimentary Rock Location: Liverpool Posts: 16	I got 14/20. I did it by looking at their entire face, but concentrated on their eyes. All the wrong ones I got apart from one were men. And #13 is definitely a hard one the crack as far as gender is concerned "Time is a great teacher, but unfortunately it kills all its pupils." - Louis Hector Berlioz

Jan 26, 2008, 06:25 am	#17 (permalink) (top)
Nono Throbbing Member Location: Old Europe Posts: 7,161	Female is my guess. Bit of a bony face is all. "I wish I was as cocksure of anything as Tom Macaulay is of everything." -- Viscount Melbourne

Jan 26, 2008, 08:19 am	#18 (permalink) (top)
sinequanon Molten Ash Posts: 49	The experiment is a bit silly. There is no way to guarantee a genuine smile. I assume they mean an involuntary smile, but a smile can easily be a mixture of both voluntary and involuntary action.