Travel advice to tourists visiting the U.S.
Travel advice to tourists visiting the U.S.

points out one custom most Americans wouldn't
points out one custom most Americans wouldn't

think twice about: their smile.
think twice about: their smile.

Guidebooks explain to tourists that Americans smile
Guidebooks explain to tourists that Americans smile

to strangers a lot.
to strangers a lot.

So, why do Americans smile so much,
So, why do Americans smile so much,

and why is that so strange to everyone else?
and why is that so strange to everyone else?

Americans seem to smile even when there' s
Americans seem to smile even when there' s

not a very good reason to.
not a very good reason to.

When you see an American smiling,
When you see an American smiling,

they might be feeling happy,
they might be feeling happy,

confident, or neutral.
confident, or neutral.

Sometimes, just a polite way to make someone else
Sometimes, just a polite way to make someone else

feel comfortable. Think "service with a smile."
feel comfortable. Think "service with a smile."

Here's your receipt. Thank you very much!
Here's your receipt. Thank you very much!

In other countries, though, smiling for no
In other countries, though, smiling for no

reason can make you seem kind of dumb.
reason can make you seem kind of dumb.

One researcher found in countries like Japan, India,
One researcher found in countries like Japan, India,

South Korea, and Russia, smiling faces
South Korea, and Russia, smiling faces

were considered less intelligent than serious ones.
were considered less intelligent than serious ones.

His theory is that there's a connection
His theory is that there's a connection

between a country's level of instability
between a country's level of instability

and finding smiling stupid.
and finding smiling stupid.

After all, how can you be
After all, how can you be

so confident and happy when the future's uncertain?
so confident and happy when the future's uncertain?

That might help explain stereotypically
That might help explain stereotypically

frowny places like Russia, where smiling in photos
frowny places like Russia, where smiling in photos

isn't really a thing.
isn't really a thing.

There's also some interesting research that
There's also some interesting research that

helps explain the other end of the spectrum:
helps explain the other end of the spectrum:

why Americans have stereotypically mega-watt smiles.
why Americans have stereotypically mega-watt smiles.

It turns out that countries with a long, robust
It turns out that countries with a long, robust

history of immigration have historically relied
history of immigration have historically relied

more on nonverbal communication.
more on nonverbal communication.

Therefore, people there might smile more.
Therefore, people there might smile more.

In a recent study, researchers looked at
In a recent study, researchers looked at

the number of "source countries" that have
the number of "source countries" that have

fed into a country since Columbus
fed into a country since Columbus

arrived in the Americas.
arrived in the Americas.

Places like Canada and the United States
Places like Canada and the United States

are very diverse, with more than
are very diverse, with more than

60 source countries. But places like China
60 source countries. But places like China

and Zimbabwe are more homogenous,
and Zimbabwe are more homogenous,

with just a few nationalities
with just a few nationalities

represented in their populations.
represented in their populations.

The authors found that emotional
The authors found that emotional

expressiveness was correlated with diversity.
expressiveness was correlated with diversity.

In other words, when there are a lot of immigrants
In other words, when there are a lot of immigrants

around, you might have to smile more to build
around, you might have to smile more to build

trust and cooperation, since you don't all
trust and cooperation, since you don't all

all speak the same language.
all speak the same language.

But in countries that are less-diverse,
But in countries that are less-diverse,

people were more likely to smile to show
people were more likely to smile to show

they were superior to one another.
they were superior to one another.

In these countries, smiling is a way to preserve the hierarchy.
In these countries, smiling is a way to preserve the hierarchy.

But American's just don't smile more often,
But American's just don't smile more often,

they also smile much more enthusiastically.
they also smile much more enthusiastically.

For a study published last year,
For a study published last year,

researchers compared the official photos of
researchers compared the official photos of

American and Chinese business
American and Chinese business

and government leaders.
and government leaders.

After coding them according to their levels
After coding them according to their levels

of "facial muscle movement", they found
of "facial muscle movement", they found

that American leaders in all contexts were both
that American leaders in all contexts were both

more likely to smile and showed more
more likely to smile and showed more

excited smiles than the Chinese leaders did.
excited smiles than the Chinese leaders did.

Later, they found the more a country's college students
Later, they found the more a country's college students

valued happy, high-energy emotions,
valued happy, high-energy emotions,

the more excited the government officials from those countries
the more excited the government officials from those countries

looked in their photos.
looked in their photos.

Cultural differences in smiling don't just
Cultural differences in smiling don't just

confuse foreign tourists visiting the United States.
confuse foreign tourists visiting the United States.

They also come as a surprise for American companies doing business abroad.
They also come as a surprise for American companies doing business abroad.

When McDonalds went to Russia in the 90s,
When McDonalds went to Russia in the 90s,

they had to coach their employees on how to smile.
they had to coach their employees on how to smile.

But when Wal-Mart opened stores in Germany,
But when Wal-Mart opened stores in Germany,

it had to tell its sales clerks to stop smiling
it had to tell its sales clerks to stop smiling

at customers...because some people saw it as flirting.
at customers...because some people saw it as flirting.

In other words, the American smile is a product
In other words, the American smile is a product

of its culture. And like any other product,
of its culture. And like any other product,

we try to export it around the world.
we try to export it around the world.

This is "You Are Here", a new series about the science
This is "You Are Here", a new series about the science

behind everyday life. Let us know what topics you
behind everyday life. Let us know what topics you

want us to explore in the comments.
want us to explore in the comments.

I'm Olga Khazan, thank you for watching.
I'm Olga Khazan, thank you for watching.