A smile can go a long way: The effects of dominant and rewarding smiles of coaches on athletes in an evaluative performance context

Abstract

Non-verbal expressions from other people play an important role in everyday life. We tested the psychological and physiological effects of different non-verbal facial expressions given by a coach to athletes in a performance context. In a study with 60 athletes, we tested how dominance versus reward smiles shown by a coach after various performances affected athletes’ subjective affective state, stress levels, and their own facial expressions. Results showed that athletes who perceived dominant smiles after their performances had higher heart-rates than those who received rewarding smiles. Athletes receiving dominant smiles also reported feeling less happy after their performances than athletes receiving rewarding smiles. No effects were evident on subjective stress levels and facial expressions of emotion measured by Noldus FaceReader. The present results are the first to show that subtle differences in facial expressions of coaches can affect an athlete's heart rate and affective state in an evaluative performance context. The results join research on the interpersonal effects of non-verbal behaviour between athletes and their coaches. They provide evidence that the facial expressions of coaches have communicative content that is perceived by the athletes and influences them on different levels.