Sincerity and openness are hallmarks of Russian culture, which is why Russian smiles are rare and expressed only in contexts where they are appropriate and express an honest emotion of happiness.
Smiling in Russia usually shows the real good mood and good relationship between people, as it is not used as a form of politeness. When a Russian smiles at you, he/she really cares about you or is genuinely in a good mood.
The Russian language has a unique proverb that is absent from other languages, “A smile without a reason is a sign of idiocy.” [Смех без причины - признак дурачины.] People with a western mindset cannot understand this proverb.
Stereotypical physical characteristics of Russian people include a broader nose, dark blond eyebrows, fair skin, and a round face. There are a number of factors that contribute to these characteristics. In cultural stereotypes, Russian people are also seen as being individualistic, hard-working, honest, and generous.
In Russia, beauty standards are very different from what we're used to in the West. In general, Russian women are expected to be slim and beautiful with perfect skin, hair, and teeth. They are also expected to dress well and wear lots of makeup.
Eye Contact: Making eye contact is a show of respect in Russian culture and is highly valued. When conversing to someone, it is considered polite to keep eye contact and direct your look at the other person.
Cheek kiss.
There's a well-known Russian greeting tradition: the triple cheek-kiss. It's usually common between close relatives. Sometimes, it's shortened to two kisses. One cheek kiss is often used by girls to greet friends, or even close female coworkers.
In Russian language, along with verbs of indicative mood there are also verbs of subjunctive and imperative mood. Verbs of subjunctive mood designate actions which one wants to happen, or just possible ones, under certain circumstances.
Friends may hug or kiss on the cheek to greet, but Russians are generally limited in their physical contact. Strong physical affection is generally only seen between couples of opposite genders.
Studies are clear about one thing: throughout the world, Americans tend to smile the most! It's not that other countries don't have plenty to smile about, it's that people tend to smile as much as they are conditioned to through socialization and culture.
Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa, is also the country that smiles the most globally. According to the report, Nigerians were most likely to have said they'd smiled or laughed a lot the day before, with more than nine in 10 giving a positive answer.
Traditionally, Russians would kiss three times on the cheek when meeting. Now, one kiss is more common, but a hug will also be expected. This might not be such a strange act for women, but men from other countries sometimes find it odd.
They generally smile and emote very little in public. This is mostly because formal behaviour signifies respect, particularly when interacting with strangers or those who are older or of higher social status. As such, public behaviour is typically reserved and open complaint or anger is uncommon.
According to the World Health Organization, around 5% of Russia's population is believed to suffer from depression.
Russian participants were also more likely to view those with Depression as 'weak-willed' and leading an 'immoral lifestyle'. Conclusion: Our findings further inform cultural understandings of these mental illnesses in an often neglected national group.
Hugs, backslapping, kisses on the cheeks and other expansive gestures are common among friends or acquaintances and between members of the same sex. Russians stand close when talking. Putting your thumb through your index and middle fingers or making the "OK" sign are considered very rude gestures in Russia.
In some cases, a handshake may seem too formal. Women generally kiss people three times on alternating cheeks starting on the left. Male friends may hug one another or give each other a pat on the back.
Gentle and romantic
Despite everything, Russian men are very romantic at heart. They are capable of experiencing deep feelings and know how to be loyal and faithful. When a woman awards her beloved one with affection the man becomes caring and gentle, gives flowers and presents to his darling.
Generally, all the teams agreed that the most essential values in Russian culture are unity, tradition, and respect. Though they admitted that over the years the values have been changing - from traditional values to a more 'modern' value system.