WHY SMILES GENERATE LENIENCY

The authors investigated the social significance of human smiles, spec ifically the penchant for transgressors who smile to be judged more le niently than those who do not. Of particular interest was whether diff erent types of smiles generate different degrees of leniency and what mediated the effect. Subjects judged a case of possible academic misco nduct. Materials included a photograph of a female target displaying a neutral expression, felt smile, false smile, or miserable smile. Smil ing targets received more leniency than nonsmiling targets, although t hey were not seen as less guilty. The type of smile did not significan tly moderate the amount of leniency shown. Of the variables evaluated for mediating the smile-leniency effect, such as perceiving the target as more likable, submissive, or diplomatic, the one that best account ed for the effect was perceiving the target as a trustworthy person. T he implication seems to be-if in trouble, smile.