Updated

A University of Florida study of more than 1,100 online participants found that repeated forced smiling can erase or reverse the small mood boost of a single smile. The study, published October 1 in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, analysed data from 1,174 participants, and half were warned they could lose $2 of a $6 payment, though no one lost money. With unpleasant images, a single smile still helped slightly under threat, but repeated smiling weakened that effect and pressure erased it. With pleasant images, repeated or pressured smiling left people less happy than those who responded naturally, and was linked to more irritation and anger. Target faced criticism over a policy requiring employees to smile at customers, and Coles argues such demands limit emotional freedom for both staff and customers.