Introduction
It is well understood that the phrases on our faces represent our emotional condition well. Is it true, though, that our thoughts are affected by the expressions on our faces? The act of smiling, simply, will make one happy by itself. Centered on the facial feedback theory, this is specifically demonstrated. It states that the contractions of the facial muscle are important in not only expressing what a person feels to others but also how one feels about oneself. It has been discovered, based on recent studies, that suppressing emotional facial expressions will decrease the strength of the emotions encountered. This hypothesis can be traced back to Charles Darwin, who delved to highlight that emotional expression intensifies it, whereas its repression softens it.
The Influence of Facial Feedback on Emotions
It is important to note that our brains don't only derive stimuli from our surroundings but also from inside us. When the brain senses that a muscle is flexing, it goes on to interpret that one is happy. For instance, if an individual attends a party that they didn't want to go to in the first place, he/she would be forced to give a courtesy smile to anyone familiar they meet. By doing this, it ends up changing their emotion and therefore realizes that the party is not as bad as they may have perceived. There exist two versions of the facial feedback hypothesis. The weak version notes that physiological shifts can only excite or suppress an existing emotion. On the other hand, the strong version highlights that the physiological shifts can result in the creation of an emotion on their own. While Darwin's hypothesis considered the whole body, current researchers have only concentrated on the facial muscular activity.
