Reading Faces
In Japanese culture, they focus on eyes to determine the mood of others. In America, they look at mouths, according to tests. It even plays out in the emoticons favored.
Japanese Happy Face (^_^)
American Happy Face :)
Theoretically, it’s because the Japanese are more guarded with emotion, less apt to smile. One side note, is that Americans are more prone to prolonged eye contact, which is considered very rude and intrusive in Japan, yet this is how they read one another.
I am amazed that Americans would gauge mood based on lips. That would never occur to me. Explains a lot of gullibility in this country, if all it takes is a smile. Suckers!
(Source)
Related:
Face Reading
Understanding Facial Expression
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