Describe what kind of sex differences, if any, researchers examining smiling and eye contact have discovered. Include in your summary a description of one study relevant to smiling and one relevant to eye contact. To what extent are these sex differences affected by culture?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

One research study examining yearbook photos from students in kindergarten through college found that starting around fourth grade, girls smile more than boys on average. This effect replicates in photos of adults, and the finding that women smile more than men is consistent across culture. Studies examining eye contact have discovered that men tend to look at their female interaction partners more while speaking to them and look away more while listening to them, a pattern known as visual dominance. In contrast, women look at their male interaction partners more while listening than when speaking. Men’s eye contact behavior is often interpreted as a display of dominance. Norms for eye contact do, however, vary across culture. For instance, in East Asian cultures, excessive eye contact can communicate disrespect.