Why grin?

[Saucer51]

Another nasty murder and having just seen neighbours and friends being interviewed on tv, I wonder why so many of them are grinning away as they profess their sorrow?
Am I being too harsh? Is it simply a nervous reaction? I'd genuinely be interested to know from a psychological viewpoint. We on the British Isles are still not quite as good as other nations in expressing our emotions. Is the grinning because there's still room for self-consciousness even at times of grief?

[Emma Raducanu]

I usually laugh heartily during scenes on tv that are meant to be dramatic or sad. Like when Gail on Coronation Street is crying, my natural reaction is to laugh: It's involuntary.

Possibly, the people you speak of are undergoing similar feelings letting their subconscious reaction override their natural feelings as a protective mechanism. Sometimes the truth hurts so bad, our only choice is to laugh and celebrate.

[An tSaoi]

Sometimes grimacing can look like grinning; see every actor on EastEnders during an emotional scene.

Edit: Argh beaten to the soap opera example.

[sirhenry]

When there's a tv camera in our face, it's hard not to find yourself with a nervous grin dragging at your mouth.

[Still Not George]

It's been my experience that most people's response to tragic news is a nervous grin. But you're not the first person to mention the weirdness of that. A good few American and Polish students I've known over the years have commented on how strange it is to see everyone smile after bad news is passed around.

[mini goatbix]

A few days ago I saw a friend that I hadn't seen for a while and while telling her some bad news I kept finding myself smirking, I thought "well now she'll assume I'm lying", but thinking that just made the smirk worse. Very annoying.

[biggytitbo]

I'm a on for laughing during serious arguments. Ever since an episode of Colin's Sandwich I can't help it.

[wheatgod]

Monkeys grin when they're scared.

Are you a monkey / are your neighbours monkeys?

lol monkeys

[ziggy starbucks]

[The Boston Crab]

I used to get quite upset at the reactions of most Chinese people to my sporadic misfortunes. Then I realised: they're not being inappropriate, they simply take pleasure in bad things happening to foreigners.