Science experiment: smiling at cute babies
Science experiment: smiling at cute babies
You know when you're in the supermarket and the like, and there's a cute little baby, so you smile at her or him and get a lovely little smile back?
I tried it the other day while wearing a mask. And the cute little baby smiled back! Adorable.
Infant Homo sapiens must be able to detect smile from just the movement of the eye muscles and don't need to see the mouth.
But here's the kicker. The cute little baby's smile back had weird exaggerated eye muscle movements, like she was trying to smile with her eyes. Or maybe it was just a weird kid and I was reading too much into it.
You mission, should you choose to accept it, is test this theory in the coming weeks. Smile at all babies while wearing a mask. If you don't have a mask when you meet a baby, put one on. If you don't meet a baby when wearing a mask, shout out that you require a baby to experiment on.
I tried it the other day while wearing a mask. And the cute little baby smiled back! Adorable.
Infant Homo sapiens must be able to detect smile from just the movement of the eye muscles and don't need to see the mouth.
But here's the kicker. The cute little baby's smile back had weird exaggerated eye muscle movements, like she was trying to smile with her eyes. Or maybe it was just a weird kid and I was reading too much into it.
You mission, should you choose to accept it, is test this theory in the coming weeks. Smile at all babies while wearing a mask. If you don't have a mask when you meet a baby, put one on. If you don't meet a baby when wearing a mask, shout out that you require a baby to experiment on.
Awarded gold star 4 November 2021
Re: Science experiment: smiling at cute babies
I'd be more prepared for this if I found babies cute. Or if I ever left the house. I've voted already because the last time I smiled at a baby its Mum turned around and was an old school acquaintance. Got stuck "catching up" for like half an hour and missed the shop I was going to.
I will never smile at a baby again!
I will never smile at a baby again!
Non fui. Fui. Non sum. Non curo.
-
- Catbabel
- Posts: 654
- Joined: Mon Nov 11, 2019 12:59 pm
- Location: Shropshire - Welsh Borders
Re: Science experiment: smiling at cute babies
I ticked "burst into tears" but usually they just look puzzled. Being bald but bearded, I think they think I've got my head on upside-down.
WOULD CUSTOMERS PLEASE REFRAIN FROM SITTING ON THE COUNTER BY THE BACON SLICER - AS WE'RE GETTING A LITTLE BEHIND IN OUR ORDERS.
- tenchboy
- After Pie
- Posts: 1917
- Joined: Tue Nov 12, 2019 5:18 pm
- Location: Down amongst the potamogeton.
Re: Science experiment: smiling at cute babies
Can't help m'afraid; I would never smile at a baby in case it thought I liked it.
If you want me Steve, just Snapchat me yeah? You know how to Snapchap me doncha Steve? You just...
- Little waster
- After Pie
- Posts: 2385
- Joined: Tue Nov 12, 2019 12:35 am
- Location: About 1 inch behind my eyes
Re: Science experiment: smiling at cute babies
Are we running a control arm where we smile at ugly babies?
In the interests of blinding, don't approach the parents and say "What an ugly baby. Can I smile at it in the interests of science?" as that may bias the results.
Top tip, it is probably best not to approach the parents at all, if possible gets as near to the infant as possible before the parents are aware of you. If interrupted attempt to flee with the child screaming "For Science!!!" as you head for the exit. That should minimise confounding factors.
In the interests of blinding, don't approach the parents and say "What an ugly baby. Can I smile at it in the interests of science?" as that may bias the results.
Top tip, it is probably best not to approach the parents at all, if possible gets as near to the infant as possible before the parents are aware of you. If interrupted attempt to flee with the child screaming "For Science!!!" as you head for the exit. That should minimise confounding factors.
This place is not a place of honor, no highly esteemed deed is commemorated here, nothing valued is here.
What is here was dangerous and repulsive to us.
This place is best shunned and left uninhabited.
What is here was dangerous and repulsive to us.
This place is best shunned and left uninhabited.
- tenchboy
- After Pie
- Posts: 1917
- Joined: Tue Nov 12, 2019 5:18 pm
- Location: Down amongst the potamogeton.
Re: Science experiment: smiling at cute babies
Got to admit that for a while there I thought we were talking about smiling whilst wearing Freddy Kruger masks or somesuchlike.
Which might also be a useful control.
Which might also be a useful control.
If you want me Steve, just Snapchat me yeah? You know how to Snapchap me doncha Steve? You just...
- Tessa K
- Light of Blast
- Posts: 4728
- Joined: Tue Nov 12, 2019 5:07 pm
- Location: Closer than you'd like
Re: Science experiment: smiling at cute babies
In pre-mask days I would sometimes stick my tongue out at them. It confuses the hell out of them. Some of them do it back and the parent sees them and tells them off. Result.
- discovolante
- Stummy Beige
- Posts: 4105
- Joined: Fri Oct 11, 2019 5:10 pm
Re: Science experiment: smiling at cute babies
Interesting, are we going to develop a generation of children whose lower faces are floppy, hanging inertly, due to never having seen a smiling mouth in their lives to date, or will that be balanced out by the development of extremely expressive upper faces?
To defy the laws of tradition is a crusade only of the brave.
Re: Science experiment: smiling at cute babies
I remember when a colleague brought his young girl toddler into the office. I 'taught' her to stick her tongue out and blow a raspberry ie I did it and she copied it. She thought it was hilarious and, apparently, when introduced to anyone new greeted them with a raspberry. His wife gave him a right talking to that evening.
Some people call me strange.
I prefer unconventional.
But I'm willing to compromise and accept eccentric.
I prefer unconventional.
But I'm willing to compromise and accept eccentric.
- Stephanie
- Stummy Beige
- Posts: 2902
- Joined: Wed Sep 25, 2019 4:38 pm
- Location: clinging tenaciously to your buttocks
Re: Science experiment: smiling at cute babies
This is interesting.lpm wrote: ↑Sat Mar 13, 2021 10:49 amYou know when you're in the supermarket and the like, and there's a cute little baby, so you smile at her or him and get a lovely little smile back?
I tried it the other day while wearing a mask. And the cute little baby smiled back! Adorable.
Infant Homo sapiens must be able to detect smile from just the movement of the eye muscles and don't need to see the mouth.
But here's the kicker. The cute little baby's smile back had weird exaggerated eye muscle movements, like she was trying to smile with her eyes. Or maybe it was just a weird kid and I was reading too much into it.
You mission, should you choose to accept it, is test this theory in the coming weeks. Smile at all babies while wearing a mask. If you don't have a mask when you meet a baby, put one on. If you don't meet a baby when wearing a mask, shout out that you require a baby to experiment on.
Are you sure you didn't smile with exaggerated eye muscle movements? Presumably infant babies see their parents smiling without masks so are aware of typical smiles.
"I got a flu virus named after me 'cause I kissed a bat on a dare."
Re: Science experiment: smiling at cute babies
I wish I got to see babies to do this. We’ve been internet shopping since before the pandemic. I had a new nephew arrive a few months before it all kicked off but I’ve missed pretty much all the starting smiling to starting talking bit.
where once I used to scintillate
now I sin till ten past three
now I sin till ten past three
- Boustrophedon
- Stummy Beige
- Posts: 2900
- Joined: Mon Nov 11, 2019 3:58 pm
- Location: Lincolnshire Wolds
Re: Science experiment: smiling at cute babies
Some friends had a new baby, it had been very difficult, a surrogacy that went badly wrong, amply helped by the News of the World sticking their oar in, in the public interest, just to get their side of the story, with a wad of promised money, whilst camping out in front of the house, sort of a way.
So Don visits once the sh.t has stopped flying some weeks later and there was the baby and I gave him by bestest beaming smile for babies. And he grinned back and we had a little beamy chortley baby conversation.
The Mother says: "He hasn't smiled for us."
I felt awful.
Our eldest would get in first, as soon as he learnt to lift his head up (almost immediately) and smile, he would fix random strangers with his best smiley face to get a smile back*. He would get really cross if he didn't get a smile in return, but this was rare.
*He still does this, he's 26.
So Don visits once the sh.t has stopped flying some weeks later and there was the baby and I gave him by bestest beaming smile for babies. And he grinned back and we had a little beamy chortley baby conversation.
The Mother says: "He hasn't smiled for us."
I felt awful.
Our eldest would get in first, as soon as he learnt to lift his head up (almost immediately) and smile, he would fix random strangers with his best smiley face to get a smile back*. He would get really cross if he didn't get a smile in return, but this was rare.
*He still does this, he's 26.
Perit hic laetatio.
- Tessa K
- Light of Blast
- Posts: 4728
- Joined: Tue Nov 12, 2019 5:07 pm
- Location: Closer than you'd like
Re: Science experiment: smiling at cute babies
He was possibly trying to pacify a stranger whereas he feels safe with familiar family faces. Either that or it was wind.Boustrophedon wrote: ↑Sun Mar 14, 2021 11:25 amSome friends had a new baby, it had been very difficult, a surrogacy that went badly wrong, amply helped by the News of the World sticking their oar in, in the public interest, just to get their side of the story, with a wad of promised money, whilst camping out in front of the house, sort of a way.
So Don visits once the sh.t has stopped flying some weeks later and there was the baby and I gave him by bestest beaming smile for babies. And he grinned back and we had a little beamy chortley baby conversation.
The Mother says: "He hasn't smiled for us."
I felt awful.
Our eldest would get in first, as soon as he learnt to lift his head up (almost immediately) and smile, he would fix random strangers with his best smiley face to get a smile back*. He would get really cross if he didn't get a smile in return, but this was rare.
*He still does this, he's 26.
- Boustrophedon
- Stummy Beige
- Posts: 2900
- Joined: Mon Nov 11, 2019 3:58 pm
- Location: Lincolnshire Wolds
Re: Science experiment: smiling at cute babies
I don't think so, he was and is extrovert and gregarious.
Perit hic laetatio.
- Bird on a Fire
- Princess POW
- Posts: 10142
- Joined: Fri Oct 11, 2019 5:05 pm
- Location: Portugal
Re: Science experiment: smiling at cute babies
I've smiled at my neighbour's baby loads wearing a mask, and he always just stares back blankly like he hasn't got a f.cking clue what's going on. Maybe he hasn't. I'll try being more expressive with my eyes next time. I do good waggly eyebrows.
Also my cousin's just had a baby so I'll try to persuade her to do a proper study.
Also my cousin's just had a baby so I'll try to persuade her to do a proper study.
We have the right to a clean, healthy, sustainable environment.
- mediocrity511
- Snowbonk
- Posts: 409
- Joined: Mon Nov 11, 2019 2:16 pm
Re: Science experiment: smiling at cute babies
Miniocrity 2 was a little over 1 when the pandemic hit. I can remember lots of people being quite anti mask when they first came in and lots of people were saying how scary they would be for young children. But then living where we do, we have a significant number of women who would wear a burka, so he was definitely used to not seeing everyone's face and has been entirely unphased. But it probably means that there are parts of the world where babies see a lot of covered faces, except for immediate family and I wonder if there's ever been research done on it.