Who to whom and why--Cultural differences and similarities in the function of smiles.

Abstract

Who to whom and why 2... this is how you sweep a yard; this is how you smile to someone you don't like too much; this is how you smile to someone you don't like at all; this is how you smile to someone you like completely; this is how you set a table for tea;... Jamaica Kincaid (1978, p.29) The ubiquitous smile People smile. People smile in public and in private, when they are happy and when they are distressed, during conflict and as a sign of intimacy. People smile often. Chapell (1997) counted public smiles in malls, stores, stadiums, restaurants, etc. for 15, 824 children, adolescents, young adults, middle aged adults and older adults and found that across all age groups 35.3 % of the men and 40.3 % of the women smiled. Yet, not everyone smiles equally. Younger people smile more than older people, individuals of European descent smile more than Asians and women smile more than men, – or at least that is how the common gender stereotype describes women. The present chapter presents an analysis of the function of smiles, of the role of smiles in interpersonal perception, and on individual differences, especially cultural differences in smiling.