# How often do men get smiles from women? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 10, 2013, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-men-get-smiles-from-women/673583 "2013-11-10T17:11:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![onethirtyeight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ee59a6/32.png) [@onethirtyeight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/onethirtyeight)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2013, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-men-get-smiles-from-women/673583/1 "2013-11-10T17:11:24Z")
A question that seems to be everywhere is what does that mean. It sure isn’t a bad thing. That said it can mean all kinds of things and I shouldn’t read into it beyond a compliment. I’m just wondering at what frequency women will smile out of the blue when passing a man they don’t know. Its quite often for me when I’m out doing stuff. I’d say on an average day 2-3 women I don’t know will smile at me after we’ve made eye contact. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2013, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-men-get-smiles-from-women/673583/2 "2013-11-10T17:59:06Z")
It depends on the man. People, both men and women, acknowledge my partner, because he has a very striking appearance. On the other hand, they look at me as if I weren’t there (not complaining). ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2013, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-men-get-smiles-from-women/673583/3 "2013-11-10T18:04:47Z")
Reporting this thread for probable move to IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2013, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-men-get-smiles-from-women/673583/4 "2013-11-10T18:05:03Z")
Women smile at me constantly. Sometimes they break out into guffaws. ---
**Author:** ![Frazzled](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frazzled/32/3368_2.png) [@Frazzled](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frazzled)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2013, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-men-get-smiles-from-women/673583/5 "2013-11-10T18:06:11Z")
It means they think you look like a pleasant and friendly person, nothing more. I’m a guy, my neutral face looks like I’m slightly smiling and I get more smiles from strangers than I can count. It’s nice, but is just a friendly gesture ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2013, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-men-get-smiles-from-women/673583/6 "2013-11-10T18:07:23Z")
Since I have gotten older I get a lot more smiles. I don’t think they are flirting as much as seeing me as a non threatening friendly person. When I was younger I got my share of smiles and I think those were more flirtacious. ---
**Author:** ![Spud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spud/32/347_2.png) [@Spud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spud)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2013, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-men-get-smiles-from-women/673583/7 "2013-11-10T18:09:35Z")
Since this is in GQ, the correct answer is 13.7 times per day for a male described as Caucasian living in North America between the ages of 18 and 32. Since I have a strange feeling this will be soon transported to IMHO or MPSIMS my answer is “all the time.” I tend to be smiling most of the time, and if I make eye contact with a woman I will smile at her and almost every time they will smile back. In fact, it is the ones who don’t who stand out. I guess I’m just a non threatening old dude. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2013, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-men-get-smiles-from-women/673583/8 "2013-11-10T18:21:58Z")
This is better suited to IMHO than GQ. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2013, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-men-get-smiles-from-women/673583/9 "2013-11-10T18:22:11Z")
> [@Spud](#): > > Since this is in GQ, the correct answer is 13.7 times per day for a male described as Caucasian living in North America between the ages of 18 and 32. Since this is in GQ: _Cite??_🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Tethered\_Kite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a5b964/32.png) [@Tethered\_Kite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tethered_Kite)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2013, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-men-get-smiles-from-women/673583/10 "2013-11-10T18:30:16Z")
> [@HoneyBadgerDC](#): > > Since I have gotten older I get a lot more smiles. I don’t think they are flirting as much as seeing me as a non threatening friendly person. When I was younger I got my share of smiles and I think those were more flirtacious. Yes. I’m more apt to smile at men, both younger and older, since I hit _that certain age._ It feels like it’s less apt to be misconstrued. (Of course that’s truly a fallacy, but don’t tell.) Anyway, it’s nice advantage to being older. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2013, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-men-get-smiles-from-women/673583/11 "2013-11-10T18:57:48Z")
Young, attractive women avoid eye contact with me like the Plague; however, older women (and men) smile and wave at me like it’s going out of style. ---
**Author:** ![harmonicamoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/65b543/32.png) [@harmonicamoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/harmonicamoon)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2013, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-men-get-smiles-from-women/673583/12 "2013-11-10T19:40:46Z")
If I don’t smile first, I never get a smile from females. When I smile, they **always** return the smile. It is like their mouth can’t help but smile. I live in Mexico. ---
**Author:** ![Spud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spud/32/347_2.png) [@Spud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spud)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2013, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-men-get-smiles-from-women/673583/13 "2013-11-10T20:10:01Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > Since this is in GQ: _Cite??_🙂 Hold on… I’ve got it here somewhere… {shuffling papers furiously}… just a sec, I just saw it. Ok, I know it is here somewhere but I can’t seem to put my finger on it right now, but I’ll get back to you soon. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2013, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-men-get-smiles-from-women/673583/14 "2013-11-10T21:36:45Z")
Once or twice a year. Dammit. My favorite [Herb Caen](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herb_Caen) quote: “I smiled at a pretty girl today, and she smiled back. That feels better than laughing out loud.” ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2013, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-men-get-smiles-from-women/673583/15 "2013-11-10T22:00:43Z")
I tend to get smiles from any woman I exchange eye contact with. The exceptions are mostly within a shout of 20 and with an aura of being a bit full of themselves. ---
**Author:** ![48Willys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/db5fbb/32.png) [@48Willys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/48Willys)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2013, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-men-get-smiles-from-women/673583/16 "2013-11-11T07:10:00Z")
> [@Spud](#): > > Since I have a strange feeling this will be soon transported to IMHO or MPSIMS my answer is “all the time.” I tend to be smiling most of the time, and if I make eye contact with a woman I will smile at her and almost every time they will smile back. In fact, it is the ones who don’t who stand out. I guess I’m just a non threatening old dude. This except for the non threatening part. I am a big and ugly biker type of dude. My wife has told me that the ladies usually like me. She said that they have always smiled at me. I was oblivious to this until she started pointing it out to me when it happened. Now I guess that they do. I generally like folks, so I am usually smiling. I think that they smile at me because I smiled first.