Texting habit alert: If you do this, study says you’re more emotionally intelligent

A recent study conducted by researchers at Indiana University and the Kinsey Institute linked the frequent use of emojis in digital communication to higher emotional intelligence and secure attachment styles. The findings suggest that individuals who regularly incorporate emojis into their messages tend to have a greater ability to perceive, understand, and manage emotions—both their own and those of others.

The study, led by Dr. Simon Dubé and his colleagues, investigated associations between emoji usage frequency, attachment style, and emotional intelligence across genders and relationship types in a sample of 320 adults. Participants were at least 18 years old, fluent in English, lived in the United States, and regularly used text messaging apps where emojis could be utilized. The average age of the participants was 34 years, including 191 women, 123 men, and four transgender individuals.

"This is the first study to examine emoji use in tandem with key individual characteristics related to people's communication abilities and interpersonal relationships," the study authors wrote in the journal PLoS ONE, according to Vanguardia and the New York Post. They defined emotional intelligence as "the ability to process and manage one's own emotions and those of others."

Dr. Simon Dubé emphasized the significance of emoji usage in virtual interactions. "The way we interact during virtual communications can reveal more about ourselves. It's not just a smiling face or heart emoji; it's a way of conveying meaning and communicating more effectively. How you use it tells us something about you," he stated, as reported by Newsweek and the New York Post.

The results indicated that individuals who use emojis more frequently tend to have higher emotional intelligence and more secure attachment styles. Secure attachment is characterized by comfortable and confident connections in relationships, where individuals feel safe expressing their emotions.

Conversely, those with an avoidant attachment style were found to use emojis less, particularly in romantic contexts. This attachment style is linked to low emotional expression and reflects difficulty in establishing intimate connections. Individuals with avoidant attachment tend to avoid emotional intimacy and maintain emotional distance.

Gender differences in emoji usage were also observed. Women were noted to use emojis more frequently and positively than men, especially in interactions with friends and family. The Sun highlighted that "social expectations have historically encouraged women to be more emotionally expressive." On the other hand, men may opt for a more reserved style of communication in their digital interactions, possibly reserving emojis for more task-oriented or professional contexts.

Among men, higher levels of avoidant attachment were linked to sending fewer emojis to romantic partners—a pattern even more pronounced compared to women. For women with avoidant attachment styles, their use of emojis decreased considerably in romantic conversations, as noted by El Tiempo.

The researchers acknowledged limitations due to the homogeneity of the sample. This lack of diversity restricts the generalizability of the results to broader contexts.

The authors hope that future research includes a larger, more diverse population to explore the nuances of emoji usage across different cultures and demographics.