Science: RBF is Real

SAN ANGELO, TX – RBF is real and according to psychology experts, science plays a role in this affliction. Resting bitch face has become a common term used to describe someone who may not have the friendliest face.

According to experts, a typically neutral face will only registers approximately 3% of hidden emotions. A person who suffers from RBF will show an average of 6% of underlying emotions -- with most of it being contempt.

Identifying someone with RBF can be easy as these individuals tend to show contempt n their neutral facial expressions by looking annoyed and unapproachable, even if they are happy.

People who suffer from RBF are more likely to have naturally angled-down features, creased brows, glaring eyes, a natural frown, and tightened lips.

“RBF, to some extent, can act as a communication armour, and some of the situations where people are most likely to display RBF are during uncomfortable situations such as bumping into an ex or during an awkward conversation," explained Dennis Relojo-Howell, founder of Psychreg and a Ph.D. researcher in clinical psychology at the University of Edinburgh.

Women tend to be deemed as suffering more frequently from RBF, but according to science, there is no evidence to support that hypothesis. 

According to Relojo-Howell, society may believe women are more likely to exhibit RBF because some in society have that expectation of women and not of men.

A survey featured in The Scotsman showed that " 98% of women have been told to ‘smile’ by a male superior, and many people believe women showcase RBF more than men in retaliation to this."

“While RBF can be observed among men and women, it seems that women are more prone to be 'RBF sufferers'. This can be attributed to different social expectations between men and women as to how they should behave, and women often being told they should appear smiley and happy, something that isn’t told to men.”