Figure 2. Diagrams of 1) expected effects of smiling intensity in the stimulus on perceived smile authenticity, and 2) mediation of this effect by participants’ facial mimicry.

Smiling in the stimulus significantly predicted both smiling in the participant (a) and perceived authenticity (c). Moreover, authenticity was predicted by smiling in the participant (b). However, no clear signs of mediation (path c’<path c) were found.