Beyond its original purpose, we now include emoji in our written content for a number of other reasons; Make the Instagram bio more colorful, name the app folders on your phone (think better pairing the photos/editing apps folder) or even just for aesthetic purposes.
What about emoji addiction? Isn’t that a bit of an exaggeration?
Experts support the fact that this is certainly a current phenomenon. Christina Janzer, a senior director of research and analysis at Slack’s business communications platform, acknowledged that emoji are primarily used to create a lighter and more direct environment, but claims:
This feature is far from the only one, especially during a chat such as the one that Slack offers for workplace correspondence.
Janger pointed out that in written communication, many factors are lost compared to personal conversations; “During face-to-face conversations, we look at our partner’s facial expressions and tone of voice, we see what mood he is in.” โWhen we take it to the digital platform, the above factors are easily blurred, lost,โ he said.
Dr. Monica Riordan, professor of experimental psychology, supports Christina’s theory:
We have a hard time finding a way to limit ‘barking’ or ‘serious facial expression’, so using emoji is the right choice.
That said, noting that even though emoji may not completely 100% fill the gap between personal and written communication, they make the picture much clearer for everyone.
Jenzer also observed differences in the use of emoticons in business communication: “In a lot of workplace correspondence, we have found that coworkers misinterpret the sentiment behind each other’s messages and many ask the question ‘Did I do something wrong? ?’ ‘Annoyed with me?’, which proves useful for using emoji in this area as well.”
This, of course, may seem obvious enough that, as we mentioned at the beginning of the article, emojis feelings They are symbols, but outside their normal use feeling We also go with them. and The key to realizing that we have become accustomed to the little markings In our phones, we need emotional reinforcement that we can get from using them.
See the interlocutor of those who need to be heard, emoticons mean salvation during the pandemic. It is no coincidence that apps are expanding more and more features to give us the most colorful feedback. Today, for example, a heart reaction to a message is the equivalent of a written reply, and even if the reply doesn’t contain emoji, it’s better to see a heart on our screens.
Besides emoji, it’s mobile gifor . to use memogic Sending also throws a lot into the conversation. We can personalize the latter ourselves, and when it’s ready to be edited, we can even use our virtual avatar to describe what our partner will see while chatting. Memoji can mean a lot, especially when communicating with our loved ones.For example, we can see animated selves of our grandparents sending us kisses, this is already a very heartwarming feeling and helps us feel closer.
It is natural to feel that we need emotional strength in the digital world. If you feel that using emoji takes the burden off your shoulders and helps you understand better what you are saying, no one is holding you back and remember that you are alone with this. are not. ๐
Author: Gomori Ka Phool
Freelance twitter maven. Infuriatingly humble coffee aficionado. Amateur gamer. Typical beer fan. Avid music scholar. Alcohol nerd.