Must be a genuine smile with the corners of the mouth and eye muscles working together for a positive effect
Attractiveness is primarily judged by the right brain, selfies are more effective with a left face
“Laughter is the cheapest gift you can give anyone, but its power can conquer the world.”
Choi Hoon Choi, professor of psychology at Hallym University, said this at a special lecture titled “Why is that person’s smile attractive?” on the 13th floor of the dental hospital on the 24th. The lecture was organized to commemorate the achievement of 200,000 Minish clinical cases.
“We are often told not to judge a book by its cover, but a person’s face is the most intuitive ‘cover’ of a person,” Choi said. The human brain is specialized in recognizing faces, and we make instant judgments about someone’s personality and abilities based on their face.
He also introduced the halo effect, a classic concept in psychology. “Attractive appearance extends to impressions of competence and integrity, which can affect employment, salary, and even the outcome of a trial,” he said.
Some interesting facts emerged. The Fusiform Face Area (FFA), the part of our brain responsible for recognizing faces, doesn’t look at eyes, nose, and mouth in isolation. It sees the overall arrangement and harmony.
This is because attractiveness judgments are made primarily in the right brain, which is responsible for the left side of the body, so the left side of your face (the side that looks right to the other person) is more likely to be perceived as attractive. This is a good tip to keep in mind when taking photos.
The centerpiece of the lecture was “smiling. Dr. Choi emphasized the “Duchenne smile,” a genuine smile in which the muscles of the corners of the mouth and eyes move together. This kind of smile conveys competence and friendliness at the same time and positively changes the other person’s emotions and the surrounding atmosphere.
He also introduced the theory of facial feedback, which states that “when you smile, even if it’s forced, your brain recognizes it as a positive emotion and actually makes you feel better.” He added that studies have also shown that laughter can help boost the immune system and extend life.
“When our faces provide a positive backdrop for others, our own lives are enriched,” he concluded, “and I hope that all of us at Minish will face the world with a positive smile.”
