New Research Will Change How You Use Emojis Forever

Texting has become the most common means of communication today. Everyone is sending and receiving messages, a couple of hundred of them, throughout the day. While some people use emojis, others send a simple text. However, new research reveals that a simple emoji can alter the emotional impact of text messages.

Eun Huh, a researcher from the University of Texas, Austin, took a deeper dive into the science behind emojis and their impact on human interactions. With a simple question in mind- do emojis make people feel closer in their relationships? - Eun Huh noted that people feel more connected to those who use emojis as compared to those who don’t. 

“The study revealed that emojis can boost relationship satisfaction by signalling emotional attentiveness. Interestingly, it’s not the type of emoji but simply their presence that makes people feel closer to their partner,” Huh revealed.

A Tiny Symbol that Says a Lot

The research that was conducted sampled 260 adults who were asked to imagine texting their close friends. They read out fifteen different text messages, out of which some had emojis while others did not. The results revealed that people trusted messages from users who used emojis; they called them more responsive. 

According to the research, emojis are not just for decorating a message; they, instead, work like signals of emotion and bring life to words. A mere heart at the end of a message or a smiley has the power to change the mood of the message and while one might think it is about the kind of emoji that has been used, the research revealed that just using one can work like magic.

The research indicated that a text without an emoji often feels cold and emotionless to the person receiving the message, while a text with any type of emoji feels personal and warm. It revealed that human brains react to emojis the way they react to real people, as these icons tap into deep emotional areas of the mind.

Feeling Heard Makes You Feel Closer

The researchers also ran more tests to understand the impact of emojis on the human brain. They found that while emojis may boost responsiveness, they did not boost likeability or closeness on their own. Instead, they made people feel more heard, which in turn brought people closer.

To keep things consistent, researchers carefully matched emoji use with the tone of the message. Happy emojis were paired with cheerful messages, and sad emojis stayed with sad ones—no sarcasm allowed.

And even with that setup, the results stood strong. People still reported feeling emotionally connected when emojis were used appropriately.

Emoji Matching Equals Vibe Emotional Connect

One big reason emojis work so well? They help avoid confusion and soften your tone.

We’ve all been there, reading a text and wondering, “Are they mad at me?” Emojis can clear that up. A wink or laugh emoji can make a blunt message feel playful instead of harsh. They act as little signals that say, “Hey, I’m still being nice.”

Plus, they show effort. In fast-paced chats, even a tiny emoji says, “I’m paying attention.”

Of course, no study is flawless. This one- published in PLOS One- was based on imagined text scenarios, not real conversations between friends. And since most participants were from the U.S., the findings might not translate the same way in other cultures where emoji meanings vary.