Effects of a smile: reciprocation and compliance with a request.

In this study, 639 native Dutch shoppers (279 men and 360 women) entering a department store, supermarket, or mall were approached with a request to sign a petition for animal welfare. The request was accompanied by a smile or a neutral expression displayed by a woman or a man. Results showed that a smile was reciprocated with a smile, especially by female participants. Participants were more likely to comply with the request of a woman than of a man. It was also found that smiling of the participant and compliance were related and that the reciprocation of a smile increased the likelihood of compliance with the request.