In a series of experiments, researchers found that people who included a smiley face symbol, emoji or emoticon in their work emails were perceived as less competent than those who didn't.

But the first emoticon – specifically the smiley face – could have been used much earlier. Literary critic Levi Stahl came across a poem written in 1648 which includes what could be the first ...

the sideways smiley emoticon as we know it originated in 1982. Most people now instantly recognize :) as a smiling face. However, this response isn't innate, but rather learned. Nor are all ...