High Levels Of Emoji Use Have Been Linked To Greater Emotional Intelligence
High levels of emoji use have been linked to greater emotional intelligence, according to a new study conducted by a team of researchers from Indiana University (IU).
It signifies that you are better able to understand your own emotions and the emotions of others. In addition, less emoji use with friends and romantic partners is associated with an avoidant relationship attachment style.
“The way we interact during virtual communications may reveal something more about ourselves,” said Simon Dubé, the lead author of the study and a psychologist from Indiana University (IU).
“It is not just a smiley face or heart emoji—it’s a way to convey meaning and communicate more effectively, and how you use it tells us something about you.”
Emojis are characters that depict emotions, animals, objects, and more. They can be sent through smartphones and computers to add more complex meaning to messages.
In the study, a total of 320 adults in the United States who regularly send and receive text messages were polled. Each study participant was asked about their demographic information, typical emoji use, attachment styles, and emotional intelligence.
Attachment styles refer to how we relate and interact with other people we are in close relationships with. They are thought to be influenced by the way our parents and caregivers interacted with us in early life.
Kids who feel safe, protected, and supported by their parents usually develop what’s called a secure attachment style, which is the healthiest kind.
However, kids with parents who were emotionally distant or dismissive typically develop an avoidant attachment style. Later in life, they struggle to build close relationships.
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Meanwhile, inconsistent caregiving can lead to an anxious attachment style, which is when people desire to have close relationships but fear rejection and abandonment.
The results showed that texters with secure attachment styles and higher levels of emotional intelligence tend to use more emojis when messaging.
Overall, the researchers found that women use emojis with family and friends more frequently than men. However, women who exhibited more avoidant attachment styles sent and received emojis less often with friends, dates, and romantic partners. Men with avoidant attachment styles also sent fewer emojis to partners.
Examining how emoji use varies depending on communication and interpersonal skills can offer insights into the kind of people who are most likely to employ them and the psychological factors behind them.
The researchers noted that there was one major limitation of the study. The participants were primarily white, educated, married, straight, and spoke English, so they did not reflect the entirety of the population in the U.S.
So, how many emojis do you use when messaging your friends? The details of the study were published in the journal PLOS One.
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