(Bk Business) Carol Kinsey Goman Ph.D.-The Nonverbal Advantage_ Secrets and Science of Body Language at Work -Berrett-Koehler Publishers (2008)

Chapter 10: Selling Your Message without Saying a Word
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participants reported that the pictures pleased them and even
made them feel elated. When asked to frown during the same
kind of experiment, subjects reported feelings of annoyance
and anger. Additional studies demonstrated not only that a
smile is a consequence of feeling happy or content but also
that putting on a smile can induce physiological changes in
body temperature, heart rate, and skin resistance.
The best way to create a smile is to think of something
or someone that genuinely amuses or delights you. But consider
research findings that found that even if the smile were
mechanically produced, positive feelings still emerged. This
study had matched samples of people looking at Gary Larson
cartoons. The first group ranked every cartoon as funnier
than did the second group. The only difference is that members
of the first group were asked to hold a pencil crosswise
between their back teeth. The simulated smile caused by the
pencil between their teeth affected their emotion—and their
perception of the cartoons as funnier.
TRY THIS
Let’s face it, confidence counts. A lot. I’ve seen
many qualified people get passed over for promotion,
lose a sale, or fail an interview simply because they
couldn’t project a confident attitude.
The next time you go into a situation in which you
want to project your most confident self, you can start by
standing up straight, pulling your shoulders back, and holding
your head high. Just by assuming this physical position,
you will begin to feel surer of yourself. And if you add a
genuine smile (or even a pencil between your teeth), you
will affect your brain and emotions even more positively!