Therapy dog elicits smile from student
Source: Adam Lauzé Photography; used with permission
I must admit that I was not aware that there was a unique field dedicated to understanding the role smiling plays in human physical and mental health. (For an overview of smiling research, see the recent publication of Cross and colleagues.) The science of smiling is based on early research by Darwin, who wrote about facial expressions in humans and animals. As explained by Cross et al., 2023: “Darwin hypothesized that emotion expressions were both adaptive, in the sense that they prepared the organism to respond to stimuli in the environment, and communicative, in the sense that they conveyed important social information .”
An important contribution to this advanced smile research is found in the work of the French anatomist Duchenne who distinguished between ‘felt’ smiles and ‘fake’ smiles. In short, felt smiles are smiles that are generated because the individual genuinely feels positive affect, while false smiles occur when individuals try to convince someone that they are experiencing positive affect: Imagine a store clerk whose job is to welcome you. Building on this distinction – also referred to in the smiling literature as ‘Duchenne or non-Duchenne smiles’ – research is being conducted into the benefits derived from smiling. There is correlation research (see Goldberg & Grandey) suggesting that fake smiles may contribute to emotional exhaustion and burnout. In contrast, felt or Duchenne smiles are thought to promote positive affect, “described as the experience of pleasurable emotions, such as happiness, joy, excitement, enthusiasm, calmness, and contentment.” (Pressman et al., 2019).
A therapy dog brings a smile to student visitors
Source: Freya LL Green Photography; used with permission
In innovative research by Juice84 participants were observed during their social interactions in bars and cafes to understand their naturally occurring smiles. Observations of dyadic interactions revealed that younger participants smiled more than their older counterparts, that participants smiled more at other participants of the same gender, and that closed smiles (when an individual smiles but without an open mouth) were more common among male participants.
Those of us concerned with student well-being could take note of the extent to which students smile. This is especially important as students are known to experience increased stress, homesickness and loneliness. (See recent research by Krendall.) Could the extent to which we see students experiencing a “felt” smile be a reflection of student well-being and overall campus health?
As a researcher who studies how therapy dogs promote student mental health and well-being, I am struck by how often we see students smiling in their interactions with dogs. In the work we undertake at the University of British Columbia in building academic retention through K9s (BARK.) program, we certainly see ample evidence of this. I have included sample photos of the responses our therapy dogs evoke in students attending programs designed to reduce their stress, homesickness, and loneliness. Could making students laugh play a role in improving their mental health? And relatedly, how can “felt smiles” be generated on campus? What programs or interventions can students participate in that guarantee a smile?
Student smiles as he greets therapy dogs on campus
Source: Adam Lauzé Photography; used with permission
As university administrators and student programming staff look for ways to strengthen students’ mental health and well-being, creating opportunities for students to interact with trained therapy dogs and their handlers is an inexpensive and approachable way to generate smiles among students.
