Why men smile less than women

[Gil]

Physiol Behav. 2006 Jun 2; [Epub ahead of print]

Gender differences in smiling: An evolutionary neuroandrogenic theory.

Ellis L.

Studies have found that, under a wide variety of social circumstances, females are more likely than males to smile. The present article offers a theoretical explanation for this difference based on the premise that testosterone (along with other sex hormones) has evolved the tendency to alter brain functioning in ways that inhibit male smiling, especially during their most reproductively active years. Underlying the theory are the assumptions that (a) females have been naturally selected for preferring to mate with males who have the ability to assist in long-term child rearing primarily by provisioning resources, that (b) males partially accommodate this female preference by competing with rival males who are also vying for resources with which to attract mates, and that (c) male smiling interferes with their ability to most effectively intimidate rivals. If this reasoning is correct, genes must be involved in promoting the tendency to compete for resources, the most likely location for which would be on the Y-chromosome. According to the present theory, these genes operate in part by inhibiting social signals of fear and submissiveness. An additional element of the theory asserts that testosterone alters brain functioning in ways that shift the neocortex away from the left (more "prosocial and friendly") hemisphere toward the right (less "prosocial and friendly") hemisphere. Current evidence bearing on the theory is reviewed and a number of largely untested hypotheses are derived from the theory for future assessment of its predictive power.

Link

Manji's Note: I do smile alot hence why i'm such a lucky bastard with the ladies....

[Agrippa]

Its interesting to note that in most studies its said that a friendly smile on photographs is more common in zyklothymic than schizothymic individuals, both males and females.

Compare Leptosomic (rather schizothymic) and Pyknic (rather zyklothymic) women:


Average morph:


Zyklothymy is generally more "prosocial", again in both sexes.

[Gil]

To put a peasant's spoon on the conversation, i've always heard the old adage "fat girls smile alot".
Back to science, it probably can be derived from multiple factors, namely constitution and personal view, education, social background, etc.

[Agrippa]

Originally Posted by Manji

To put a peasant's spoon on the conversation, i've always heard the old adage "fat girls smile alot".
Back to science, it probably can be derived from multiple factors, namely constitution and personal view, education, social background, etc.

Yes, just imagine one being told she should smile, or another one having bad teeth what could be almost like conditioning.

However, the main factor, in a statistical sample should be: cultural background, personality type, sex type.
Considering that you have only males and females as different samples, females should smile more. Zyklothymic-women must more than f.e. Schizothymic-man should be most different in a sample from the same social-cultural group.

very intresting theory

Jacque

[Phlegethon]

Phlegethon never smiles.

[kanz]

Very interesting , always wondered if it worked both ways. I mean its dumb but if you see someone who is smileing they look harmless, but some one who has a closed mouth appears more violent. Just another one of these great games our brain likes to play .

[Phlegethon]

Smiling is gay.

[Susi]

Originally Posted by Phlegethon

Phlegethon never smiles.

Because he's a true man?

[kyashan]

Originally Posted by Susi

Because he's a true man?

actually Phlegeton is a woman in disguise and she never smiles because she's afraid of growing wrinkles because of too much smiling.

[Phlegethon]

Too late. I am already massively wrinkled.

But as Lord of Lalaland you don't smile - you glare.

[Milesian]

The title of the thread can be answered in one word.
The same word, incidently, that the thread title ends with.