1. Achieving Happiness Through Smiles
Marion Eberly, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Management
Milgard School of Business

2. The Happiness Advantage
Happiness leads to success, not vice versa

3. Happiness leads to … Fulfilling and productive work
Higher work performance
Satisfying relationships
Superior mental & physical health  longevity
Effective coping strategies/resilience
Altruistic/helping behaviors
Etc. etc.
Source: Lyubomirsky et al., 2005

4. The Power of Smiles

5. Let’s Smile
What happens?

6. Emotional Convergence
Emotional Contagion
Mimicry
Afferent feedback
Emotional Convergence
Sources: Buck, 1980; Chartrand & Bargh, 1999; Hatfield et al., 1994; Strack et al., 1988

7. The hidden power of smiling

8. When Might Contagion be More Likely?
Similarity/liking
Dependence
Power/leadership/charisma
Emotional expressiveness
Extroversion
Susceptibility to contagion as a trait
Sources: Buck et al., 1974; Cherulnik et al. (2001); Fredrickson (2003); Keltner et al., 2003; Van Baaren et al., 2004

9. Emotional Sincerity as a Moderator?
Study 1
F = 24.93,
p = .000
Source: Eberly (2011) – my dissertation

10. Emotional Sincerity as a Moderator?
Study 2
Δ R2 = .04,
p = .000
Source: Eberly (2011) – my dissertation

11. Emotional Sincerity as a Moderator?
Study 3
F = 12.81,
p = .001
Source: Eberly (2011) – my dissertation

12. Emotional Sincerity as a Moderator?
Positive sincere emotions most contagious.
Positive insincere emotions more contagious than negative sincere emotions.
Source: Eberly (2011) – my dissertation

13. Interdependence as a Moderator?
Study 1
Source: Eberly & Fong (2013)

14. Interdependence as a Moderator?
Study 2
Source: Eberly & Fong (2013)

15. Interdependence as a Moderator?
Positive other-focused (interdependent-focused) emotions more contagious
Individuals with high level of interdependence with another person more likely to catch the emotions of that other person
Source: Eberly (2011) – my dissertation

16. Action Items Smile, smile, smile
Be aware that your emotions impact others
Reframing
Be mindful and meditate (5 minutes a day)
Exercise
Be grateful (keep a gratitude journal)
Provide random acts of kindness
Source: Achor (2010), Achor (2013)

17. Thank you!