When you looked at the Far Side cartoon above, you developed an opinion about how funny it was. How do you decide how funny something is?
Surprisingly, your opinion of the cartoon would be radically affected if you happened to be holding a pencil...in your mouth.
In his book, Thinking: Fast and Slow, Daniel Kahneman describes a study in which participants were asked to hold a pencil in their mouths. Some were asked to hold the pencil sideways--a pencil in this position mimics a smile. Others were asked to hold a pencil by the eraser end--the person's mouth makes an "O" around the pencil, similar to a sad expression.
Would you believe that the people who held the pencil sideways, mimicking a smile, on average rated the cartoons as funnier than those who made an "O." Let that sink in. The implications are that your facial expression--even if it is "forced" by a pencil--will affect your emotional state and the judgements you make.
Here's another shocking study. People were given a set of headphones and told that they were helping the company test the quality of wiring. While moving their heads, the volunteers were told to listen to a man speaking and to determine if their head movement caused static in the headphones. Some participants were told to move their head up and down in a nodding motion. Others were told to shake their heads from side to side as they listened. Afterward, the participants were given surveys about their impressions of the man speaking in their headphones. They were asked to rate how pleasant the man sounded and how much they liked his message.
The experimenters weren't actually evaluating the quality of wiring in headphones. Rather, they wanted to know if head movement can affect peoples' perceptions. By now you might be able to guess the results. The volunteers who nodded while listening to the speaker found the man's voice to be more pleasant and they gave what he said a more favorable rating. Those who shook their head while listening rated the man more negatively.
We like to think that we objectively form and shape the opinions we hold, but that's simply not true. By holding a pencil in our mouths or by moving our head a certain way we can change our own perceptions of the world. Our body language not only affects the way others perceive us, but it also affects the way we perceive the world around us. Forcing a smile will make a big difference in how you perceive your circumstances. Being pleasant even when you don't feel like it is the first step in actually feeling pleasant. Make sense?
This partly explains why humor is so effective in the classroom. If students are smiling while you speak to them, they are more receptive to what you say. Even a pleasant expression on their faces will yield more receptivity to the lesson.
As you read about the preceding studies it is tempting to think that these findings apply to others, but not to you personally. However, these findings have been rigorously established numerous times and it's a good idea to realize that you aren't the exception--your own facial expressions and body language will change your own perceptions.
So, how about adopting postures that lead to positive thinking? You'll enjoy your day more and your students will too!
