The effect of a woman’s smile on men’s courtship behavior

Previous studies have found that various nonverbal behaviors performed by women are associated with men approaching. A female confederate was instructed either to smile or to not smile at a man when entering a bar. It was found that those men who were smiled at approached the woman and considered her more favorably. This effect is explained in accordance with studies that found smiling enhanced attractiveness and that a smile is interpreted to be a signal of a woman’s interest towards a man.