Game Face Psychology: How Your Expression Shapes Performance

Melissa Hughes
Jul 1, 2023
3 min read

Updated: 21 hours ago

Back in 2016, Michael Phelps accidentally broke the internet before even hitting the water. Moments before the 200-meter butterfly semifinals in Rio, cameras caught the 19-time Olympic gold medalist sitting under his hood, headphones on, glaring intensely at rival Chad le Clos — the swimmer who had beaten him four years earlier.

The look was iconic. It took over social media in seconds. And in that moment, the #PhelpsFace was born.

When Expressions Speak Louder Than Words

We’ve always known that facial expressions are contagious. Thanks to mirror neurons, when you see someone smile, your brain subtly mirrors it — firing up the same neural pathways that make you feel happier. The same happens with anger, sadness, or fear.

This phenomenon, known as emotional contagion, helps us connect and empathize with others. It’s why we flinch when someone stubs their toe or feel calmer when someone smiles warmly at us. But here’s where the science gets even more fascinating: It’s not a one-way street.

Your expression doesn’t just influence others — it changes you.

The Brain Science of Expression and Emotion

Psychologists now believe emotional contagion is a two-step feedback loop

We unconsciously imitate other people’s facial expressions.
That imitation changes our own emotional experience.

In other words, we don’t just smile because we’re happy — we’re happy because we smile.

Neuroscience backs it up. Angry or intense expressions activate the amygdala, the brain’s emotional control center, which engages the sympathetic nervous system (our fight-or-flight response). This system prepares the body for action — increasing heart rate, dilating pupils, and redirecting oxygen-rich blood to muscles and the brain.

And it doesn’t stop there. A meta-analysis of 138 studies involving more than 11,000 people worldwide confirmed that facial expressions don’t just reflect emotions — they can create them.

The emotions we demonstrate in our facial expressions directly impact our own emotional state. Smiling can make you feel happier, scowling can make you feel angrier, and frowning can make you feel sadder.

The Power of Game Face Psychology

A 2019 study published in Stress & Health found that putting on your “game face” — a serious, focused, determined expression — can improve both performance and stress recovery.

Researchers conducted two experiments:

In the first, participants submerged their hands in icy water. Those told to adopt a game face didn’t perform physically better, but interestingly, many in the control group instinctively made that same expression when things got tough.
In the second, participants were given five minutes to complete a 100-piece black-and-white puzzle. The “game face” group completed 20% more of the puzzle and showed better stress recovery afterward.

In other words, there is actual psychology in the game face. It can help you push through challenges — not just physically, but mentally, too.

Smile Science: The “Grin and Bear It” Effect

This mind-body connection works both ways. In a study aptly titled “Grin and Bear It,” researchers found that smiling— even under stress — lowers physiological markers of anxiety and tension.

That might explain why Chrissie Wellington, 4-time Ironman World Champion, is often seen grinning during grueling nine-hour races.

“It’s easier to smile than grimace when you’re hurting.”— Chrissie Wellington

Whether it’s the fierce #PhelpsFace, a quiet grin, or your own version of determination, your expression doesn’t just show how you feel — it shapes how you feel.

Your face can hack your brain.Your mood can power your performance.And your game face might just be the ultimate brain tool for confidence, focus, and resilience.

By the way, when Michael Phelps was asked about his game face after the competition he said, he wasn't intentionally "mean mugging" him. "I just had music going on in my head. I had thoughts going on in my head, spitting water a little bit all over the place, so I was in my own zone.

In the zone, indeed!