Because in some cultures (like Russian or Japanese) smiling is not a sign of kindness

The smile it is a form of non-verbal communication that we consider a clear gesture of openness and friendlinessbut this is not the case in all cultures of the world: the smile is interpreted as a sign of kindness, especially in people Western countrieswhere it is invested with positive meanings linked to well-being, availability and good education. However, numerous sociological research shows that the smile does not have the same communicative value everywhere. On the contrary, in many societies the smile is a signal with negative meanings and, sometimes even dangerous.

The smile as a non-universal cultural construction

Although the biological ability to smile is present in all human beings, the meaning attributed to this gesture varies profoundly from one context to another. In many contemporary Western societies the smile is incorporated into the norms of “good communication”becoming almost a relational automatism. However, comparative social studies show that in other cultures, smiling does not necessarily indicate welcome and kindness.

In fact, in many areas of the Northern Europehow Finland or Norwaysmiling without a concrete reason can be perceived as strange or even suspicious, corrupt behavior. In JapanOn the other hand, a smile can serve to mask embarrassment or discomfort, certainly not to express something feeling of welcome. In Thailand There are numerous types of smiles, some used to express embarrassment, tension or dissent. In many cases the smile is therefore hidden by lowering the back of the head and never looking a person in the eye while smiling.

These examples around the world call into question the idea, widespread especially in the Western world, that a smile is a “universal language of openness” and that the gesture does not communicate the same message everywhere. Historically, moreover, we can find various testimonies of the role played by the smile in times distant from us.

When smiling becomes suspicious

The meaning of smile it also and in fact depends on political history of a certain place.

In Russia, and in other countriesEastern Europethe seriousness of the face has its roots in the long Soviet experiencewhere facial expressiveness was regulated and often discouraged in public, preserving maximum seriousness and rigor in more formal contexts and reserving leisure and affection within the walls of the home.

In particular, the sociological research of Alexei Yurchak they showed how the expressive neutrality in Russia communicated reliability And prudencewhile an unjustified smile could be interpreted as superficiality, poor credibility or even corruption in political and public environments.

Social hierarchies of smiles

In addition to the hierarchical-political dimension, it is useful to remember that the smile can have much more layered social meanings than simple courtesy.

The research of Arlie Hochschild on the emotional regulation show how, in many cultures and professional contexts, smiling is not a spontaneous gesture but a real performance required by the role, clarifying how in many contexts smiling becomes a performance regulated by social expectations.

In the patriarchal contexts this dynamic is accentuated: the smile becomes a expected behavior from subordinate groupsparticularly by women, as a sign of availability and accommodation. In these cases, therefore, smiling is not so much a free act as an element of a broader action “emotional regime”which regulates how one must present oneself to others and what emotions it is legitimate to show.

Another case outside our Western norm belongs to the societies ofWest Africa and of Middle Eastwhere the smile is reserved for family contexts or consolidated relationships. Classic ethnographic studies, such as those of Meyer Forteshighlighted that showing positive emotions to strangers can feel overly intimate or out of place.

Public communication of affection relies more on postureal body control et al tone of voicewhile the smile is a sign of trust and belonging considered intimate. Its rarity increases its relational value: not an automatic gesture, but a sign that the social distance it is reducing.

Globalization of the smile

To conclude, one cannot help but reflect on how the marketing globalThe customer service hey social media have contributed to the spread of an emotional model that connects smiling to professionalism and to positivity.

But this “globalization of expressiveness” it has not erased cultural differences: if anything it generates new ones misunderstandings. In fact, more and more often, in international working contexts, for example, American colleagues tend to interpret seriousness as hostility, while European or Asian professionals may perceive an excess of smiles as superficiality or lack of respect.

There intercultural sociology shows that the smile, in the end, is one of the most easily misinterpreted gestures.