PexelsIf you’re wondering what you should be doing to get more action between the sheets, then stop frantically swiping on Tinder and start thinking about adding a few more emojis to your online vocabulary.
According to a new scientific study, people who use emojis enhance their odds of relationship and sexual success.
Researchers at The Kinsey Institute surveyed more than 5,000 for the annual Singles In America paper to analyse how the use of emojis impacted their lives.
AppleAlong with a second analysis of 275 adults, they found a direct correlation between emojis and sex.
Specifically, the researchers concluded that those who punctuate their messages with the symbols are more likely to have a second date, kiss their dates and have a higher number of sexual partners.
The study reads:
Modern relationship-seekers must master faster and shorter methods of communicating self-disclosure and affect.
We find that the use of emojis allows daters to communicate important affective information to potential partners which facilitates successful intimate connection and more romantic and sexual opportunities.
PexelsThe reason being, the study cites, that when we meet people on a face-to-face basis, we rely on more than just the words spoken to us, to develop relationships. Often facial expressions and other body language factors are required to develop intimacy with a partner.
The study explains:
As many romantic and sexual connections are initiated via computer mediated communication (CMC), emojis may be useful tools in creating the elementary units of intimacy between partners.
We argue that emoji use imbues CMC with aspects of expression, emotional valence, and affect that takes advantage of evolved social psychological features of human communication, which in turn can promote the development of intimate relationships.
Researchers found 38 per cent of people involved in the study don’t use emojis at all, while 29 per cent of people use them occasionally. They reported 28 per cent of single people use them regularly, with three per cent of which using them at least once in every text and 2.5 per cent using them more than once in every text.
PexelsThe study didn’t divulge what kind of emojis were used, although given the context of the study, I can’t help but imagine lots of egg plants, peaches, winky faces and smirks. Researchers also didn’t suggest just how many emojis we should be using per message to increase relationship and sexual success.
They wrote:
[W]e cannot fully know which emojis are most effective at helping to form connections between people.
So there we have it. You want that second date? Get those emojis whacked in.
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Emma Rosemurgey is an NCTJ trained Journalist who started her career by producing The Royal Rosemurgey newspaper in 2004, which kept her family up to date with the goings on of her sleepy north east village. She graduated from the University of Central Lancashire in Preston and started her career in regional newspapers before joining Tyla (formerly Pretty 52) in 2017, and progressing onto UNILAD in 2019.