February 29, 2008

Can you spot a fake smile?

This has nothing to do with design, but I was fascinated anyhow. Think you can tell when someone's smile is forced? Take a quiz, brought to you by the BBC, and find out. Watch little movies of 20 individuals smiling and judge whether they're faking it. I got 11 out of 20 right. That's an F.

69 comments:

  1. JanFebruary 29, 2008 at 6:53 PM

    I got 15 of twenty. This was very interesting.

    ReplyDelete
  2. caroleFebruary 29, 2008 at 6:53 PM

    This was fun. I got 15 out of 20. Not too bad, I guess. I found your blog through Today's Creative Blog. I love it. Really. I am a stay at home mom who is always dreaming of finding time to actually be creative. Your tutorials and artwork are very inspiring.

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousFebruary 29, 2008 at 7:12 PM

    wow - I got 18 of them correct...It's all in the eyes, I tell ya.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Jessica JonesFebruary 29, 2008 at 7:13 PM

    That's what I thought too, but obviously it didn't work for me. :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. JenFebruary 29, 2008 at 7:29 PM

    Ug! I got six out of twenty! I think that's an F minus.

    ReplyDelete
  6. hannahFebruary 29, 2008 at 7:50 PM

    Hmmm, I got 18 out of 20... it is all in the eyes :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. bbphotoFebruary 29, 2008 at 7:59 PM

    15 of 20

    ReplyDelete
  8. LeeAnnFebruary 29, 2008 at 8:10 PM

    11 out of 20. I don't think we should work for the FBI. :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Grandma GFebruary 29, 2008 at 8:14 PM

    11 here, too.

    Mum

    ReplyDelete
  10. Rosie PosieFebruary 29, 2008 at 8:24 PM

    17 of 20- I look for the eyes, but also there is a muscle under the eyes that constricts, usually raising the cheeks a little...

    My husband says girls are better at spotting that type of thing but I couldn't test it since he's shaving and didn't want to take the test!

    ReplyDelete
  11. GemFebruary 29, 2008 at 8:39 PM

    That was interesting, I turned out to be better than I thought I would be (17 right) :)It's definitely something in the eyes!

    ReplyDelete
  12. BelaFebruary 29, 2008 at 8:48 PM

    I haven't done the test yet, but, as Kristin says, it's all in the eyes. If the smile doesn't reach the eyes it's fake.

    The BBC broadcasts lots of programmes about that kind of thing.

    ReplyDelete
  13. BelaFebruary 29, 2008 at 8:57 PM

    PS. Done it now. Got 17 out of 20. The blah blah at the end explains it very well. And it is to do with the eyes.

    ReplyDelete
  14. CaseyFebruary 29, 2008 at 9:00 PM

    I got 12, I am SO good lol

    ReplyDelete
  15. AnonymousFebruary 29, 2008 at 9:27 PM

    I went on and took their "sexId Profile" quiz as well. Apparently I (female) am 25% on the side of man "brain". Who knew? I told my boyfriend and he did not believe me. I am curious for him to take it next. We may have to rearrange our pants.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Breanna DavenportFebruary 29, 2008 at 10:07 PM

    I got 16 out of 20. Not too bad.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Courtney PFebruary 29, 2008 at 10:16 PM

    18 out of 20. I realized after taking the test that it was created by Paul Ekman... whose book "Emotions Revealed" I've read. I guess it helped!

    ReplyDelete
  18. AnonymousFebruary 29, 2008 at 10:40 PM

    That's a pretty fun quiz. I got 18 too. Thanks for the entertainment and enlightenment!

    ReplyDelete
  19. BridgetFebruary 29, 2008 at 10:48 PM

    oh dear... only got a 10!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Eugene LimFebruary 29, 2008 at 11:18 PM

    That was so neat! I got 13/20. I'm taking a psychology class right now and this clicked with some behavior and cognition notes that we had a lecture on just a few weeks ago! How exciting (:

    ReplyDelete
  21. CaroMarch 1, 2008 at 4:05 AM

    Definately in the eyes, am very proud got 19!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Sew Create It - JaneMarch 1, 2008 at 5:47 AM

    Cool! I got 18 / 20 and I looked at the eyes and nothing else...now I just have to do this in real life!! :o)

    ReplyDelete
  23. AlexMarch 1, 2008 at 5:50 AM

    whaooo i got 20 out of 20..it is definately all about the eyes, that is the only place i looked..so beware the eyes!! i love your blog!

    ReplyDelete
  24. AnonymousMarch 1, 2008 at 7:19 AM

    What fun, didn't think I would be as accurate as I was...I got 19. Will pass this one on!

    ReplyDelete
  25. MarmadaisyMarch 1, 2008 at 8:31 AM

    18/20 - I agree it's the eyes you need to watch. Interesting.

    ReplyDelete
  26. AnonymousMarch 1, 2008 at 10:59 AM

    I got 14 out of 20. This is way better than I expected.

    ReplyDelete
  27. jessilongMarch 1, 2008 at 11:10 AM

    I got 13 out of 20, then after I read the end, I went back and got 18 out of 20.

    ReplyDelete
  28. AnonymousMarch 1, 2008 at 11:13 AM

    19 out of 20. kristin is right, it is all in the eyes. That was pretty funny, because I found myself getting nervous that I would get the questions wrong.

    ReplyDelete
  29. AnonymousMarch 1, 2008 at 11:43 AM

    I got 16 out of 20. This was very interesting to say the least. I definitely agree that there is something in the eyes.

    ReplyDelete
  30. UK lass in USMarch 1, 2008 at 11:54 AM

    17 / 20 - the ones I missed were the ones that I wasn't certain about, too. Hmm - does this mean I SHOULD work for the FBI? I AM already well-versed in interrogation (getting info from my husband is like getting blood from a stone...).

    ReplyDelete
  31. willikatMarch 1, 2008 at 12:06 PM

    17 of 20 for me!! fun! thanks for the link.

    ReplyDelete
  32. LisaMarch 1, 2008 at 12:51 PM

    I got 16 right. Although, if the test was "is this a man or a woman", I might have done worse. Or... is this a human...

    Just my two cents.

    ReplyDelete
  33. SarahMarch 1, 2008 at 1:07 PM

    17/20.

    You must be to eager to find the best in people. I on the other hand must be a hardass that doesn't care if I get along with others.

    ReplyDelete
  34. Jessica JonesMarch 1, 2008 at 2:23 PM

    Sarah, I like your generous interpretation. I had been thinking maybe I am just dumb? Optimistic sounds better than stupid, though, so I like your take on it much better :) And Lisa... um, yeah. I didn't want to comment on that, but I'm so on your wavelength. :) You crack me up.

    ReplyDelete
  35. AnonymousMarch 1, 2008 at 4:02 PM

    Hi! That was fun! I got 16 out of 20 correct. Is that a C? B? Thanks for sharing! Ann

    ReplyDelete
  36. AnonymousMarch 1, 2008 at 7:18 PM

    Great quiz. I got 18 out of 20. I am familiar with Elkman's amazing research into "micro expressions" but haven't read his books yet. I got every single fake smile right. I was fooled by some of the more subtle real smiles.

    ReplyDelete
  37. ReneeMarch 1, 2008 at 7:25 PM

    I got 19 - I agree it's in the eyes; also the shoulders often rise up like when laughing in the real ones

    ReplyDelete
  38. TinaMarch 1, 2008 at 7:30 PM

    I liked that. I got 16 out of 20.

    ReplyDelete
  39. HurrayicMarch 1, 2008 at 7:50 PM

    Got 17 out of 20 correct...I agree with Kristin - I wasn't even looking at the mouth, just the eyes.

    ReplyDelete
  40. Mrs. V.March 1, 2008 at 9:13 PM

    Haha, I agree with Lisa on the "Man or Woman" part, some of those people were a little creepy!


    Anyway, 17 out of 20 which is better then I expected. It's all in the eyes, of course, what a fun test!

    ReplyDelete
  41. monda-lovesMarch 2, 2008 at 4:45 AM

    15/20 for me

    I think the trick is not to hesitate too much and go with your gut instinct - also don't so it whilst you are distracted, I got a call from my mum half way through and I think it shows in the results!

    Thanks for sharing. This was fun!
    Monda
    x

    ReplyDelete
  42. blindfaithMarch 2, 2008 at 6:03 AM

    I got a 19/20. It's true - it's all in the eyes, although I wasn't fixated on them when choosing my answer. At some point, I found myself glazing over the videos and answered based on my instinct instead. I guess some of us are better wired to pick up micro signals naturally. My boyfriend scored 9/20. I'm a sociologist by training and he's a physicist. Wonder if this played a part... or perhaps the age-old man-woman difference.

    ReplyDelete
  43. SherryMarch 2, 2008 at 9:58 AM

    Very cool! I got 18 out of 20.

    ReplyDelete
  44. Emily ClaireMarch 2, 2008 at 10:25 AM

    I got 11/20. My boyfriend got 19/20.

    I took a pyschology test where they said that introverts are better at recognizing projected facial expression, and extroverts are better at projecting facial expression. Just a thought!

    I really love your blog, my fellow Chicagoan.

    ReplyDelete
  45. leanneMarch 2, 2008 at 10:43 AM

    18 out of 20. better than i expected! it is definitely all in the eyes.

    love your blog jessica!

    ReplyDelete
  46. AnonymousMarch 2, 2008 at 11:27 AM

    This was interesting! I got 17/20 and my attitude was that I had better get most of them right because I am so interested in social psychology. My cues were a mouth/eye combo.
    As always, I love your blog!

    ReplyDelete
  47. AninaMarch 2, 2008 at 12:07 PM

    Wow! I got 19 out of 20!

    ReplyDelete
  48. reinaswanMarch 2, 2008 at 12:08 PM

    Wow I got 12/20. I was using the smile lines to try and figure it out.

    ReplyDelete
  49. ~Caroline~March 2, 2008 at 2:40 PM

    I got 18/20...looks like I am in good company! I looked at the eyes and the cheeks.

    ReplyDelete
  50. AnonymousMarch 2, 2008 at 3:17 PM

    15 of 20 for me ... lots of fun.

    ReplyDelete
  51. PinaMarch 3, 2008 at 12:55 AM

    I got 14 right. Not too bad, I think.

    ReplyDelete
  52. AnonymousMarch 3, 2008 at 4:12 AM

    I only got 12 out of 20. Yet I felt very smug going into it.

    Where did you put yourself on the optimist/pessimistic continuum, Jessica? I was over towards optimist. So I guess I just think everybody is really smiling all the time. :D

    ReplyDelete
  53. AnonymousMarch 3, 2008 at 4:57 AM

    I got 13 right and recognised one of the faces as some one I used to work with :-)

    Thanks for sharing!

    Suzi

    ReplyDelete
  54. Pattern and PerspectiveMarch 3, 2008 at 5:22 AM

    15/20 for me. I thought it had something to do with the eyes "the eyes have it" and it did. Interesting quiz!

    ReplyDelete
  55. vlijtigMarch 3, 2008 at 9:11 AM

    Well, I'm not good at this. 10/20. I tried to look at the eyes, but didn't work for me.
    Like the test any way.

    ReplyDelete
  56. Amy M.March 3, 2008 at 12:37 PM

    That's really interesting! I got 17 out of 20 right.

    hmmm...

    -Amy

    http://craftingbycandlelight.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  57. Jessica JonesMarch 3, 2008 at 6:53 PM

    Suzi, that's crazy! Wow. Vlijtig, you and me both. I think all these other people cheated.

    ReplyDelete
  58. Jessica JonesMarch 3, 2008 at 6:55 PM

    Suzanne B, I was over toward the optimist side, for sure.

    ReplyDelete
  59. AnonymousMarch 4, 2008 at 1:01 PM

    Oh my goodness! What fun! I laughed out loud when I read Lisa's comment. So true! I got 19/20 - didn't think I'd do that well.

    Jess - always enjoyable to stop by your blog!

    :-) (real smile!)

    ReplyDelete
  60. AnonymousMarch 5, 2008 at 10:22 AM

    15 outta 20 baby!

    ReplyDelete
  61. AnonymousMarch 10, 2008 at 10:28 PM

    18 out of 20. It's they eyes, and the look after they smile that gives them away.

    ReplyDelete
  62. Jen WMarch 14, 2008 at 1:43 PM

    18 out of twenty! Hidden talent I didn't know I had.

    ReplyDelete
  63. KimberlyMarch 14, 2008 at 8:06 PM

    I got 18...and this was so fun and interesting....I'm glad I found your fun blog while blogging around tonight! :)))
    Loves,
    K

    ReplyDelete
  64. Elizabeth BaddeleyMarch 20, 2008 at 1:45 PM

    I'm sort of feeling like a rock star right now...19 of 20 (and the one I missed I was really torn on!)

    ReplyDelete
  65. zobarsMarch 24, 2008 at 11:48 PM

    I got 17 out of 20 that's not bad. Anyways good to read your blog after so long.

    ReplyDelete
  66. bonnitasMarch 25, 2008 at 10:23 AM

    20/20!

    Well, I worked as a sales specialist for several years...obviously I learned something out there! :)

    ReplyDelete
  67. AnonymousMay 3, 2008 at 10:36 PM

    I got 17 out of 20 :D And yes, I agree with Kristin. You have to watch their eyes.

    ReplyDelete
  68. AnonymousMay 27, 2008 at 7:39 PM

    This was really cool. I got a 19 out of 20...I like smiling...what can I say :)

    ReplyDelete
  69. McKaylaJuly 3, 2010 at 2:42 PM

    Yay! 19/20 :)

    ReplyDelete