State and trait cheerfulness and the induction of exhilaration: A FACS study

Abstract

The present paper examines whether state and trait cheerfulness represent actual and habitual dispositions for the emotion of exhilaration. In Experiment I, 60 research participants were involved in a 10-minute interaction with a clowning vs. neutral experimenter. Individuals high in trait cheerfulness, as assessed by the State-Trait-Cheerfulness Inventory (STCI), displayed facial signs of exhilaration with higher frequency, intensity, and duration than did low cheerful individuals. In Experiment II (N = 60), the experimenter was instructed to laugh or not laugh at certain preselected scenes while watching a movie. The experimenter's laughter facilitated enjoyment displays among individuals high in state cheerfulness, but not among those low in state cheerfulness. In both experiments, smiling and laughter predicted the subsequent mood level.