Research suggests that using emojis to communicate is a sign of emotional intelligence.
Those who distributed more emoticons in conversations with friends and family were said to be more in touch with their feelings – and better reflect their personalities.
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Women have been found to use it more and believe they understand it better, while anxious or isolated people are often less comfortable using it.
Researcher Dr Simon Dube said: “The way we interact during virtual communications may reveal something more about ourselves.
“It's not just a smiley face or a heart emoji, it's a way to convey meaning and communicate more effectively.
“How you use it tells us something about you.”
In the study conducted in the United States, researchers questioned 320 people about their backgrounds and the messages they sent.
It revealed that confidence in using emojis in correspondence demonstrated emotional intelligence and a strong understanding of the feelings of the people with whom the user communicates.
Psychologist Dr Dubey said: “Emojis fulfill the need for non-verbal support in the absence of signs and signals from face-to-face communication.
“This research suggests that people often send emojis to reduce uncertainty, modify the tone of the message, or increase message accuracy.”
The research team also reported a difference in the approach to their use by men and women.
Dr Dube explained: “Men tend to use a wide range of emoji types.
“Women, on the other hand, tend to use emoji more frequently and positively, including in public versus private communications.
“They also view its use as more straightforward and more familiar.”
The researchers also concluded that people were found to cling to words if they had so-called avoidant personalities.
These are often a result of parents being emotionally distant and can lead to problems forming close relationships.
“Our findings could suggest that those who are likely to feel more discomfort with closeness and intimacy may also distance themselves from emotional transference via computer communications,” Dr. Dube, from the Kinsey Institute in Indiana, added in the journal Plos One.
Billions of emojis are sent every day, with smileys, hearts and thumbs up being the most popular, according to Emojipedia.
