CHAPTER 4

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

This chapter presents the results of the data analysis in three parts and a discussion

of the results. The first section describes the perceptions, thoughts, and feelings of the

respondents when one smiles at them. The second section presents the qualitative

findings on how do smiles affect one's mood. The third section presents the factors that

affect and change a respondents’ mood.

1. A. The Feelings of Students When One Smiles at Them

People feel the good vibes from them when someone smiles at them, which makes

people want to pass on a smile to the next individual, and so on and so on. People

should make a deliberate effort not to take our loved ones' smiles for granted, and to

note that a smile can mean so much more across the globe than a basic facial

expression. (Spector, 2017) Out of 20 interviewed, 18 respondents feel happy when

someone smiles at them and 2 interviewees sometimes feel awkward and sometimes

feel happy when someone smiles at them. Student K shared that:

“When with or without purpose, I feel happy and delighted by

their smile. To me, they love to be happy like your feeling is at ease.”

Student L shared that:

“I would be grateful that they are smiling at me, they

showed that they are happy to be with me.”

Student M shared that:

 “I also feel the same as them, if they feel happy, I feel happy.

I feel delighted by their smile and I would smile back at them.”

Student O shared that:

“I feel alive and energetic by their smile. When someone

smiled at me, I will smile back.”

Student A shared that:

“I feel incredibly happy when I see people smiling at me because

it makes me feel a little bit happier. That is why I would smile back at them even though

we are not that close.”

Student G shared that:

“I will feel comfortable with them because if mu smile sila nimo

meaning they are comfortable with me.” (I will feel comfortable with them because if

they smile at me it means they are comfortable with me.)

Student V shared that:

“Makes me feel better because when someone’s smiling at me it

makes me say that I’m one the reason why they are smiling, and that I made their day.”

Student X shared that:

“Gaan kaayo siya sa paminaw labon nag di pa kaayo kaila or di

kaayo close. Aw okay kaayo siya na pagkatao, feel nako na approachable kaayo siya
na pagkatao kay basig di pa kaila smiling na kaayo.” (It gives lightweight feeling

especially when we do not now each other or we are not close. That person is very

approachable even though they do not know each other, that person already smiled.)

However , some respondents shared that they feel awkward and happy at the same

time.

Student N shared that:

“For me, it might be awkward and happy it is because I might

do something good to them.”

Student B shared that:

“Usahay happy, usahay pod weird kay murag undefined ilang

purpose sa ilang smile pero kung musmile sila sa akoa kay musmile nalang pod as a

sign of respect lang ba.” (Sometimes happy, sometimes weird too it is because their

purpose of their smile is undefined. However, if they smile at me, I will also smile back

at them as a sign of respect.)

B. The Perceptions of Students When One Smiles at Them

Smiling individuals are perceived as happier (Otta et al., 1994), more attractive,

communal, competent (Hess et al. 2002; Matsumoto and Kudoh 1993), likable (Palmer

and Simmons, 1995), approachable, and friendly, and that a smile from another

promises a safe and satisfying interaction (Miles, 2009). In their types and in their

definitions, smiles are extremely diverse. They are used to express several

psychological messages, including positive feelings, social intentions, or the social

status of an individual. (Matsumoto and Willingham, 2009). Out of 20 respondents, 8

respondents perceived that someone smiling at them is a friendly and approachable

gesture, 8 respondents perceived that someone smiling at them radiates happiness and

enlightens life, 3 respondents perceived that someone smiling at them may think

positively and happily about them, and 1 respondent perceived that someone smiling at

them hides their pain through their smiles. Also 20 respondents perceived that if no one

smiling in this world, the world is dull and full of sadness. These 8 respondents

perceived that someone smiling at them is a friendly and approachable gesture, Student

A shared that:

“For me, those people who are smiling at me are friendly

and approachable. If no one is smiling, the world we are living right now will be dull and

full of sadness.”

Student B shared that:

“Friendly, kay ginashare nila ilang positivity. If the will be no

people who are smiling, this world will be boring kay walang expression and positivity.”

(Friendly, for sharing their positivity. If the will be no people who are smiling, this world

will be boring kay walang expression and positivity.)

Student C shared that:

“I think that want to be friends or thy are friendly. If there are

no people who smile the world will be gloomy because there are no happiness.”
Student V, W, X, Y and Z shared that these people are comfortable, approachable, and

they give off good vibes. Another 8 respondents perceived that someone smiling at

them radiates happiness and enlightens life. Student C shared that:

“I think they are good people who makes others happy. If

walay musmile kay maguol ang world kay sad tanawon.” (I think they are good people

who makes others happy. If no one smiles, the world is unhappy, and it will be a world

that is full of sadness.)

Student D shared that:

“I believe that those people are good. Without people smiling

the world will be lifeless because it will be boring.”

Student I shared that:

“The smiles of other people enlighten my life because it gives us

hope that there are still people who care about us or who love us.”

Student H shared that:

“Smiling kay maka happy dili lang sa akoa labon na sila if they

saw me. If no one is smiling, it feels boring and unusual.” (Smiling makes happy not

only me but also them especially they smiled because of me. If no one is smiling, it feels

boring and unusual.)

Student O shared that:

“I like them because they are smiling at me. When no one is

smiling, it feels unhappy.”

Student L shared that:

“The smile of other people makes me happy. The world would

be unhappy if the people stop smiling and it will be depressing.”

Student F and G shared that the smile makes them happy and people do not smile

makes the world unhappy and dull. Another 3 respondents perceived that someone

smiling at them may think positively and happily about them. Student K shared that:

“They are either happy or they think positively about me. When

no one is smiling, it will create a low vibe. It is like in one classroom, it is filled with all

new students. So, we smile all the time especially when we are happy.”

Student N shared that:

“They think positively about me, or maybe they are happy

because of me. They are smiling but deep inside they have problems they are dealing,

and they show to everyone that they are still happy. If people will not smile, laay ang

mga tawo palibot kung walay happiness.” (They think positively about me, or they are

happy because of me. They are smiling but deep inside they have problems they are

dealing, and they show to everyone that they are still happy. If people will not smile, the

people around feel dull if there is no happiness.)

Student M shared that:

“I always thought that I did something good to them or I did

something that make them feel better. If no one is smiling, people around me will feel

unhappy or in a low mood.”

C. The Thoughts of Students When One Smiles at Them

His brain activates a reward system when the person smiles, which raises his or her

level of endorphins or happy hormones. In simpler words, when a person's brain is

happy, person smiles; his/her brain feels better when he/she smiles. (Gupta, 2017).

Charles Darwin wrote the theory of facial feedback response, also. His theory indicates

that rather than smiling, the act of smiling itself makes us feel better, being merely a

product of feeling happy. (Gutman, 2011) Out of 20 respondents, 12 respondents

shared their thoughts that smiling radiates happiness and positivity in themselves, 1

respondent shared his/ her thought that smiling shows a friendly gesture, 2 respondents

shared their thoughts that they are grateful of the people smiling, 1 respondent shared

that smiling is contagious, 4 respondents shared their thoughts that there are a reason

people are smiling. These 12 respondents shared their thoughts that smiling radiates

happiness and positivity in themselves, Student A shared that:

“As a student, I feel very happy to those people who still

manage to smile to me because even though they have their own problems they can

still manage to smile at someone and make them happy.”

Student B shared that:

 “Feel nko happy kayo sila as a person kay di nila mapugngan

ilang self na ishare ilang happiness sa uban through smiling” (I feel like they are happy

as person for they did not hold themselves from sharing happiness to other people

through smiling.)

Student V shared that:

“Adto ko naka realize ng ana brought in real life ba ang story

nga “Pandora’s Box” gani, kita kay murag na apektuhan tas pandemic pero naa

gihapoy one thing nga nagpabilin sa ato kanang hopeful gihapon ta ba nga nagpakita ta

na aside from mga suffering kalisod na ato giagian mada gihapon natog smile labi na

kay Pinoy ta grabe kaayo bisan problema smile ra gihapon. So, kung kita usa ka tao mo

smile with each other ang tendency ana is positive vibes gud mo kalat sa atoa

community.” (That is where I realized in the real life story the “Pandora’s Box, we are all

affected by the pandemic however there is still one thing that is left in us and that is

being hopeful aside from the suffering we experience. Although we are suffering, we are

still able to smile especially we are Filipinos, Filipinos always smile even though there

are problems they are facing. So, when a person smiles to each other the tendency is

positive vibes spread in our community.)

Student D shared that:

“I guess people who are smiling are jolly.”

Student I shared that:

“My thoughts are they are just making a person happy or they

want to bring joy to a person.”

Student O shared that:

“I feel happy it is because they are happy and they’re still smiling

even though they have problems.”

Student J shared that:

“As a student, my thought about people smiling at me is to

express the happiness that their heart is feeling.”

Student K shared that:

“To me, they love to be happy like your feeling is at ease”

Student W, X, Y and Z both shared that they feel happy and the positivity from the

people smiling at them. This one respondent shared his/ her thought that smiling shows

a friendly gesture, Student C shared that:

“I think that these people smiling at me shows that they are

friendly.”

These 2 respondents shared their thoughts that they are grateful of the people

smiling, Student E shared that:

“I am thankful of them and I also think na those people are the

purest and they deserve the world.”

Student L shared that:

 “I would be grateful that they are smiling at me, they showed that

they are happy to be with me. We should smile back to those people who smile at us it

is because it will be rude if we do not smile back to those who smile at us.”

Evolutionarily, smiling is contagious, and it suppresses the influence that we typically

have had over our facial muscles. (Gutman, 2011) This one respondent shared that

smiling is contagious, Student G shared that:

“Smiles from other people like as they said na smiling is

contagious, so it means that if they smile at you, they love you, they care about you,

and they show support.”

While smiles are usually taken as signs of contentment, for many different reasons,

humans smile. We simply smile sometimes because we are happy, but we also smile

for social reasons and to put people at ease, as well as to demonstrate more complex

emotions. (Cohut, 2018) These 4 respondents shared their thoughts that there are

reasons people are smiling, Student N shared that:

“They think positively about me like there must be a reason they

smiled at me. For me, it might be awkward and happy it is because I might do

something good to them.”

Student M shared that:

“When people are smiling at me, there must be a reason why they

smiled at me like I think of what I did that makes them smile like what I did is something

good to them.”
 However, Student F and H both shared that there must be a reason they smiled at

them like they smile because they leave a good impression, and they smile at them to

hide their pain they experience.

A smile is the most important component of a facial display associated with and

triggered by feelings of happiness, excitement, or joy, according to the perspective of

emotional expression. (Kraut & Johnston, 1979). Here are the thoughts of the

respondents about the importance of a simple smile. Student A shared that:

“A simple smile is especially important because it can lighten up

every people’s mood.”

Student B shared that:

“A simple smile is important because lightens the mood and it makes

me happy even when I am experiencing struggles”

Student V, W, X, Y, and Z both shared that:

“Sa simple na smile lang kay makapahibaw sa uban nga ikaw as an

individual kay malipayon ka unya ready ka mag spread ug positive vibes. Makahatag

kag instincts sa usa ka tao ba na positive ka so naamoy good relationship na ma create

tungod sa smile.” (Just a simple smile let everyone know that you are happy and ready

to spread positive vibes. It gives off positive instincts of every person, so you gain a

good relationship with other people because of a smile.)

Student D shared that:

 “A simple smile is important because it can make other people also

have their smile on their faces.”

Student I shared that:

“A simple smile is very important because like I said it can give us hope

and can bring joy to our life.”

Student O shared that:

“A simple smile is very important, once you smile you will feel alive and

happy and also you will forgot your problems.”

Student J shared that:

“I do believe it is important because a simple smile makes a single heart

smile.”

Student K shared that:

“A simple smile is very important it is because it can make your day

especially when you are very down then someone jokes to cheer up like yes, nakatawa

ko karon adlawa, nigaan na ang akong paminaw.” (A simple smile is very important it is

because it can make your day especially when you are very down then someone jokes

to cheer up like yes, I laugh today, I feel at ease.)

Student C shared that:

“Smile is important because it lighten other people’s mood and be

friendly to others.”
Student E shared that:

“A simple smile is important because it makes people happy even gamay

lang na smile from my friends makes me happy.” (A simple smile is important because it

makes people happy even a little smile from my friends makes me happy.)

Student L shared that:

“A simple smile is very important for it motivates people to be happy and

to avoid stress they are dealing.”

Student F and G both

shared that:

“It is very important because without knowing what others feel, it can give

others hope na there is something to look forward to life.”

Student H shared that:

“It is important kay ug sige kag smile ug mag enjoy kas imo gibuhat kay

makalimtan nimo tanan imo problems.” (It is important because if you always smile, you

enjoy of what you are doing and forget all the problems.)

Student N shared that:

“A simple a smile is very important when someone has problems they’re

going through and see someone smiling they also smile.”

Student M shared that:

 “A simple smile is very important it shows everyone that it important to be

happy.”

Student W shared that: