In 2005, Rutgers professor Jeannette Haviland-Jones sent out three different thank-you gifts—a candle, a fruit basket, and a floral bouquet—to over 100 women who had recently participated in one of...
In 2005, Rutgers professor Jeannette Haviland-Jones sent out three different thank-you gifts—a candle, a fruit basket, and a floral bouquet—to over 100 women who had recently participated in one of her psychological studies. As it turns out, this was one more: secretly, the delivery person was measuring the facial reaction of each recipient as they laid eyes on their present for the first time. Going over the data days later, Haviland-Jones made a surprising discovery: everyone who got the flowers displayed a Duchenne smile—a sincere expression considered by psychologists to be “the sole indicator of true enjoyment.” In short: it’s scientifically proven that flowers make you happy.