Researchers have revealed that there is a specific sign in the way you text that means you have higher emotional intelligence.
The particular texting habit is one way to determine how in-tune a person is with their emotions.
In fact, experts reckon that it’s directly linked to someone’s communication skills.
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According to researchers from Indiana University, a person who tends to use a lot of emojis in the messages they send also tend to have a higher level of emotional intelligence compared to people who don’t.
This includes things like the ability to understand, perceive and manage your own emotions as well as the emotions of others.
However, for people who don’t use as many emojis, this is associated with the avoidant attachment personality style.
Avoidant people tend to prioritize independence over emotional closeness with another person.
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In the study, 320 adults, who were mostly in their mid 30s, were analyzed using a survey where it asked them about their emoji use, emotional intelligence and attachment style
The authors of the study wrote about their findings in a journal, where they said: “This is the first study to examine emoji use in tandem with key individual characteristics related to people’s communication abilities and interpersonal relationships.”
Other attachment styles include anxious, where a person tends to feel insecure in their relationship and have a fear of rejection or abandonment.
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A secure attachment style is an indicator of forming a healthy relationship with trust and respect.
The study found that people with a secure attachment style and higher emotional intelligence are more likely to use emojis more often.
On the flip side, people with an avoidant attachment style tend to use and send emojis less often.
The researchers went on to say: “The way we interact during virtual communications may reveal something more about ourselves.
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“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.”
So it turns out that something as simple as your emoji use could actually reveal a lot about your personality.
However, the study authors have cited some limitations with the research, mainly the lack of diversity in the adults who were surveyed.
This may have affected the results and they have said that they hope future research on the topic will include a larger and more diverse population of people across different backgrounds, genders and relationship types.