Rola uśmiechu w actio: między ekspresją niewerbalną a perswazją retoryczną
The role of the smile in actio: Between nonverbal expression and rhetorical persuasion

Summary/Abstract: The article examines the smile as a persuasive element of nonverbal communication situated at the intersection of classical rhetorical theory and contemporary research on emotion and social interaction. It explores the role of the smile in constructing ethos, pathos, and captatio benevolentiae, drawing on the works of Aristotle, Cicero, and Quintilian, as well as studies of facial expression (including Duchenne and Knapp). The paper argues that the smile - traditionally regarded as a spontaneous gesture - can also function as a deliberately employed rhetorical device that enhances speaker credibility, emotional resonance, and relational closeness with the audience. Integrating rhetorical, psychological, and neuroscientific perspectives, the article conceptualizes the smile as a micro-strategy of persuasion rooted in both ethical and affective dimensions.

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