Worcester is a city of inventions: the first liquid-fueled rocket, candlepin bowling, the commercial Valentine’s Day card, the monkey wrench, and the smiley face.
In 1963, a local insurance company launched a campaign to boost company morale and turned to Worcester artist Harvey Ball for help. Ball came up with the now iconic smiley face: two black dots for eyes and a wide grin plastered on a yellow background.
Worcester has long treasured its connection to the smiley face. The likeness is painted on several murals across the city; its creator is the namesake for the Museum of Worcester’s annual Harvey Ball, an event that recognizes people and organizations who make a positive difference in Worcester; and inspired the Worcester Red Sox’s mascot, Smiley Ball.
World Smile Day, recognized annually on the first Friday in October, was started by Ball as an initiative to encourage people to engage in acts of kindness and, of course, to smile.
On the Clark campus, scholars have considered the impact of a smile. The late James Laird, professor emeritus of psychology, researched feelings: how they arise, affect behavior, and may be controlled and organized. What’s referred to as “self-perception theory” is perhaps Laird’s most significant contribution to psychology. It suggests that feelings are the consequence, not the cause, of behavior. For example, we can make ourselves happier just by smiling.
