Study exposes common text habit that could ruin your relationship
Recent research has shown that avoiding those little icons in your messages could be quietly contributing to dissatisfaction in your relationship.
A study from The University of Texas in Austin found that using emojis in your messages can make you appear more responsive and attentive to your partner, and even boost feelings of closeness and satisfaction in your relationship.
Researchers recruited 260 adults aged 23 to 67, and asked them to imagine themselves as the sender in a series of 15 text exchanges and focus on their partner's replies.
Half the messages included emojis, while the other half didn't – but all of the words in the texts were the same.
It was found that partners who used emojis were perceived as more emotionally responsive, and their relationships were viewed as warmer and more fulfilling.
It didn't matter what the emoji was – whether it was a smiley face or a love heart – it was simply their inclusion that made the difference.
In the PLOS One journal, the researchers suggested that their findings might be explained by the fact that emojis convey emotions that could otherwise be hard to express through words, making messages feel more personal and meaningful.
How to use emojis correctly
If you're still sceptical, relationship experts say the emoji effect is real – but there is an art to using them correctly.
Christine Rafe, sex and relationship expert for We-Vibe, said that misinterpreting the tone of a message is a common cause of conflict in a relationship, so she warns that adding emojis into the mix can make this even easier to do.
'Written communication like text messages is fraught with potential for misunderstanding emotional context, so it does make sense that emojis can effectively convey emotional tone when we aren't seeing a person's face or hearing their tone of voice,' she tells news.com.au.
'In saying that, every person's perspective on the use of emojis is different, and some folks feel that using emojis is inauthentic or sarcastic.'
She says it's important to get on the same page as your partner.
'If there is a mismatch in perceptions of what conveys closeness, love, and emotional responsiveness in texts, this can definitely cause conflict and dissatisfaction,' she notes.
But thankfully, this can be quite an easy fix.
'If you're often reading texts negatively, consider what you need for emotional tone to come across, and have an open chat with your partner about it. If you get curious and understand both you and your partner's texting styles, and explore what actually feels right for your relationship, you can find something that works for you both.'
Clinical Psychologist and Tribal dating app founder, Rachel Harker, agrees that emojis are more than just playful icons in messages.
'They are powerful cues that can help convey tone, emotions, and intent, especially when body language and facial expressions aren't available,' she says.
'They can even be a 'secret language' between partners, deepening connection over time.'
But she also emphasises the importance of being intentional with your emoji use and thinking about how and when they're used.
'One person's flirty wink might be another's sarcastic eye-roll,' she points out.
'Over time, these subtle mismatches can build up, leading someone to feel unseen or misunderstood, even if the intention was affectionate.
'Understanding each other's digital language, including emoji habits, is just as important as understanding love languages and in-person communication.'
But she warns that emojis shouldn't replace genuine conversations.
'They work best when they complement text, not replace it,' she says.
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