Forcing a Smile Using Electrical Stimulation Can Boost Your Mood*
November 21, 2024 8:38 AM Subscribe
[Scientific American] The headline: "Forcing a Smile Using Electrical Stimulation Can Boost Your Mood" Buried in the middle: "The well-known study was challenged, however, in 2016, when a team of researchers—including Korb—tried to replicate the findings across 17 labs, each of which conducted a study with more than 100 participants. In contrast to the original study, the researchers’ results did not reveal any significant evidence that supported the facial feedback hypothesis."
“Some people said we should forget about the hypothesis entirely,” Korb says, “while others, like me, said, ‘Wait a second—maybe we shouldn’t throw the baby out with the bathwater.’ I started thinking about how we could find other methods to manipulate muscles in a more controlled way than sticking a pen into your mouth.”
Related: "Listening to Mozart makes you smarter."
“Some people said we should forget about the hypothesis entirely,” Korb says, “while others, like me, said, ‘Wait a second—maybe we shouldn’t throw the baby out with the bathwater.’ I started thinking about how we could find other methods to manipulate muscles in a more controlled way than sticking a pen into your mouth.”
Related: "Listening to Mozart makes you smarter."
I spent a lot of time writing and re-writing this post. When I first came across this article on Mastodon, I just said, "No." Then to prove my cynicism correct, I read the article and found that of course the headline was false.
Then I started thinking about clickbait and disinformation, how SciAm obviously knows that people will only read the headline and come away with wrong facts, but this is because SciAm is not science but popular science. I started thinking about bullshit and bullshitters. I thought about how much time should we spend refuting lies, how much can we know is bad-faith and how much is wrong facts, or even if any of that distinction is relevant.
I wanted to point out that the If Books Could Kill podcast's entire premise is refuting the "counterintuitive truths" books by TED Talk era "thought leaders" and how that is good. (Mostly they just actually read the book, as I had done with this article.) But also, wow, what a waste of time it'd be to argue with every Holocaust denier on the internet.
I thought about the negative reaction people have to immediate skeptics and cynics, even (or especially) when they are absolutely correct. I thought about "enlightened centrists" and both-sidesism. I thought about conspiracy theories and their propagation and how utterly vague and useless the terms "critical thinking" and "media literacy" are.
I thought about how the "Mozart effect" shows that this disinformation for clout is nothing new, but at the same time it seems vitally important when Texas offers 1,402-acre plot for Trump's immigrant deportation plan.
But I erased all that and went with a simpler post description.
Thoughts?
posted by AlSweigart at 8:50 AM on November 21, 2024 [22 favorites]
Then I started thinking about clickbait and disinformation, how SciAm obviously knows that people will only read the headline and come away with wrong facts, but this is because SciAm is not science but popular science. I started thinking about bullshit and bullshitters. I thought about how much time should we spend refuting lies, how much can we know is bad-faith and how much is wrong facts, or even if any of that distinction is relevant.
I wanted to point out that the If Books Could Kill podcast's entire premise is refuting the "counterintuitive truths" books by TED Talk era "thought leaders" and how that is good. (Mostly they just actually read the book, as I had done with this article.) But also, wow, what a waste of time it'd be to argue with every Holocaust denier on the internet.
I thought about the negative reaction people have to immediate skeptics and cynics, even (or especially) when they are absolutely correct. I thought about "enlightened centrists" and both-sidesism. I thought about conspiracy theories and their propagation and how utterly vague and useless the terms "critical thinking" and "media literacy" are.
I thought about how the "Mozart effect" shows that this disinformation for clout is nothing new, but at the same time it seems vitally important when Texas offers 1,402-acre plot for Trump's immigrant deportation plan.
But I erased all that and went with a simpler post description.
Thoughts?
posted by AlSweigart at 8:50 AM on November 21, 2024 [22 favorites]
Is there a link to the new study?
posted by MisantropicPainforest at 8:50 AM on November 21, 2024
posted by MisantropicPainforest at 8:50 AM on November 21, 2024
Sorry, I'll go read TFA now.
No kidding: my original idea for a title for this post was, "This study is garbage, but how much time will you waste discussing it?"
posted by AlSweigart at 8:51 AM on November 21, 2024 [9 favorites]
No kidding: my original idea for a title for this post was, "This study is garbage, but how much time will you waste discussing it?"
posted by AlSweigart at 8:51 AM on November 21, 2024 [9 favorites]
IMHO the post is framed as a 'look at this obvious scientific fraud, welp, people looked into it but and its definately fraud!"
But that's not what happened, according to the article. in the 80s(!) a scientist had a hypothesis and tested it and found evidence for it. Then later scientists tested it using better tools/methods/labs/studies and didn't find evidence for it. Now those scientists are refining the hypothesis to see what parts have evidence for them, and which parts do not have evidence for them.
I see nothing wrong, at all, with that process. Everythings working fine.
posted by MisantropicPainforest at 8:54 AM on November 21, 2024 [7 favorites]
But that's not what happened, according to the article. in the 80s(!) a scientist had a hypothesis and tested it and found evidence for it. Then later scientists tested it using better tools/methods/labs/studies and didn't find evidence for it. Now those scientists are refining the hypothesis to see what parts have evidence for them, and which parts do not have evidence for them.
I see nothing wrong, at all, with that process. Everythings working fine.
posted by MisantropicPainforest at 8:54 AM on November 21, 2024 [7 favorites]
Is there a link to the new study?
Yes. It's in the article.
Another thing that strikes me while reading the study is how common "we're wasting money studying weasel mating habits" is thrown around which then get countered with "weasel mating excretions were found to cure cerebral palsy."
When you read through the study, it seems much more grounded. So is this mostly a matter of popsci reporting? Should we have cynicism but remember to direct it at the journalists instead of the scientists? Or is a junk study just a junk study, no matter how many graphs it has? Academics themselves make fun of academia, though it hits harder when outsiders (and conservative commentators) do it.
posted by AlSweigart at 9:02 AM on November 21, 2024
Yes. It's in the article.
Another thing that strikes me while reading the study is how common "we're wasting money studying weasel mating habits" is thrown around which then get countered with "weasel mating excretions were found to cure cerebral palsy."
When you read through the study, it seems much more grounded. So is this mostly a matter of popsci reporting? Should we have cynicism but remember to direct it at the journalists instead of the scientists? Or is a junk study just a junk study, no matter how many graphs it has? Academics themselves make fun of academia, though it hits harder when outsiders (and conservative commentators) do it.
posted by AlSweigart at 9:02 AM on November 21, 2024
hey little lady, you would look prettier if you had more electrical stimulation of specific facial muscles
posted by allegedly at 9:02 AM on November 21, 2024 [8 favorites]
posted by allegedly at 9:02 AM on November 21, 2024 [8 favorites]
weasel mating excretions
Sockpuppet name up for grabs!
posted by Greg_Ace at 9:17 AM on November 21, 2024 [2 favorites]
Sockpuppet name up for grabs!
posted by Greg_Ace at 9:17 AM on November 21, 2024 [2 favorites]
Is there a link to the new study?
Yes. It's in the article.
Thanks. The new study is preregistered (doesn't solve all problems but sure does solve some). The conclusion:
Results showed that muscle activation through fNMES, even when controlling for fNMES-induced discomfort, modulated participants’ emotional state as expected, with more positive emotions reported after stronger stimulation of the zygomaticus major than the depressor anguli oris muscle. ...The finding that changes in felt emotion can be induced through brief and controlled activation of specific facial muscles is in line with the facial feedback hypothesis and offers exciting opportunities for translational intervention.
Or is a junk study just a junk study, no matter how many graphs it has?
I don't follow, are you saying this is a junk study? or the 2016 one is? or the one in the 80s?
posted by MisantropicPainforest at 9:49 AM on November 21, 2024 [3 favorites]
Yes. It's in the article.
Thanks. The new study is preregistered (doesn't solve all problems but sure does solve some). The conclusion:
Results showed that muscle activation through fNMES, even when controlling for fNMES-induced discomfort, modulated participants’ emotional state as expected, with more positive emotions reported after stronger stimulation of the zygomaticus major than the depressor anguli oris muscle. ...The finding that changes in felt emotion can be induced through brief and controlled activation of specific facial muscles is in line with the facial feedback hypothesis and offers exciting opportunities for translational intervention.
Or is a junk study just a junk study, no matter how many graphs it has?
I don't follow, are you saying this is a junk study? or the 2016 one is? or the one in the 80s?
posted by MisantropicPainforest at 9:49 AM on November 21, 2024 [3 favorites]
Have they tried adding a soundtrack of music by Mr. Ludwig Van?
posted by The Tensor at 10:32 AM on November 21, 2024 [5 favorites]
posted by The Tensor at 10:32 AM on November 21, 2024 [5 favorites]
Wasn't this just a horror movie?
posted by gottabefunky at 11:09 AM on November 21, 2024 [1 favorite]
posted by gottabefunky at 11:09 AM on November 21, 2024 [1 favorite]
The studied technique is just a more high-tech, invasive version of this, no?
posted by Artful Codger at 11:21 AM on November 21, 2024
posted by Artful Codger at 11:21 AM on November 21, 2024
I started thinking about how we could find other methods to manipulate muscles in a more controlled way than sticking a pen into your mouth
I've thought of getting botox in whatever mouth-face muscles (I'm reading something about the depressor anguli oris?) for this exact reason.
posted by kitcat at 11:26 AM on November 21, 2024
I've thought of getting botox in whatever mouth-face muscles (I'm reading something about the depressor anguli oris?) for this exact reason.
posted by kitcat at 11:26 AM on November 21, 2024
A lot of science reporting is fairly factual, but the headlines are sensationalized for clicks and that is definitely a problem. Especially when many (most?) people coming across the article online will only read the headline or at best/worst, a screenshotted one-sentence excerpt.
posted by subdee at 11:52 AM on November 21, 2024 [1 favorite]
posted by subdee at 11:52 AM on November 21, 2024 [1 favorite]
Huh. When I saw the title I was wondering if it'd have a connection to that expression I've heard about acting, something like, "You can't act/(say-a-line) that has rage/anger three times without feeling the anger". And I assume acting includes facial expressions so...
posted by aleph at 12:13 PM on November 21, 2024 [1 favorite]
posted by aleph at 12:13 PM on November 21, 2024 [1 favorite]
Well, there was experimental confirmation by the independent scientist Stimpson J. Cat.
posted by Billy Rubin at 12:21 PM on November 21, 2024 [1 favorite]
posted by Billy Rubin at 12:21 PM on November 21, 2024 [1 favorite]
thank you for including Happy Helmet content, Billy Rubin
posted by scruss at 1:57 PM on November 21, 2024
posted by scruss at 1:57 PM on November 21, 2024
The shocks will continue until morale improves.
posted by srboisvert at 2:46 PM on November 21, 2024 [1 favorite]
posted by srboisvert at 2:46 PM on November 21, 2024 [1 favorite]
I've been repeatedly sticking my finger in a socket every day since the election, and I have yet to smile once.
posted by BigHeartedGuy
All that is going to do is make you pay more attention to reality. Which is definitely not smile inducing.
posted by Pouteria at 9:12 PM on November 21, 2024 [1 favorite]
posted by BigHeartedGuy
All that is going to do is make you pay more attention to reality. Which is definitely not smile inducing.
posted by Pouteria at 9:12 PM on November 21, 2024 [1 favorite]
A lot of science reporting is fairly factual, but the headlines are sensationalized for clicks and that is definitely a problem. Especially when many (most?) people coming across the article online will only read the headline or at best/worst, a screenshotted one-sentence excerpt.
People sometimes do this because they have decided to immediately dismiss the suggested premise, though.
posted by Selena777 at 12:47 PM on November 22, 2024 [1 favorite]
People sometimes do this because they have decided to immediately dismiss the suggested premise, though.
posted by Selena777 at 12:47 PM on November 22, 2024 [1 favorite]
"Yes, I feel much happier now! Can you please stop electrocuting my face? Please?"
posted by thatwhichfalls at 4:48 AM on November 23, 2024 [1 favorite]
posted by thatwhichfalls at 4:48 AM on November 23, 2024 [1 favorite]
Whenever I struggle to find the confidence required to prevent zealous researchers electrocuting my face, I just stand in power poses until they get weirded out and go away.
posted by flabdablet at 3:48 AM on November 24, 2024 [1 favorite]
posted by flabdablet at 3:48 AM on November 24, 2024 [1 favorite]
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Sorry, I'll go read TFA now.
posted by BigHeartedGuy at 8:47 AM on November 21, 2024 [11 favorites]