Excessive use of emojis in a text message reveals this about someone, study says

New York Post

30-04-2025

Your favorite emoji might reveal more about you than your therapist.
According to a new study published in the journal Current Psychology from Oklahoma State University, your emoji habits might be a window into your soul — and not necessarily the pretty part.
Researchers surveyed 285 undergraduates — mostly around 20 years old — asking how often they used 40 common symbols in texts and social media posts.
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The goal? To match those digital doodads to personality traits.
Pay attention to your emoji use, and it'll reveal a lot about your personality.
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For guys, heavy emoji use revealed manipulative behavior and emotional roller-coaster vibes. Ladies weren't off the hook either.
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Their carefully thought-out use of emojis correlated with their self-image and a desire to manage how others perceive them.
Apparently, women want to come off as agreeable and open, so they throw in a bunch of emojis in a text or social media post to be perceived this way.
'Emoji use may be related to strategies to manipulate the perceptions of others and to present a positive impression of oneself,' the researchers said.
And if you're a parent? You may find the meanings behind your child's emoji usage more surprising than you'd expect.
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Researchers examined how frequently they used 40 common symbols in text messages and social media posts.
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Last month, Amit Kalley, founder of the organization For Working Parents, issued a warning to families about the hidden meanings behind certain smartphone emojis, which he claimed could be used by children to communicate potentially 'sinister' messages.
'The unregulated internet can be very dangerous for our children,' Kalley wrote on Instagram.
According to Kalley's 'periodic table of emojis,' there are double meanings to seemingly innocent emojis that could be used by teens to send secretive messages.
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For instance, cocaine is often represented by emojis such as a snowflake, 8-ball, or snowman; marijuana by a tree, leaf, or branch; MDMA by the money bill emoji; ketamine by a horse; and psychedelic mushrooms by the red mushroom icon.
While some emoji meanings are straightforward — like the gun or knife for weapons and the smiley with X's for death — others require more explanation.
'Incel' can be represented by the apple, bean, bill, or '100' emoji, while 'Neo-Nazi' is symbolized by the hedgehog, lightning bolt, or the numbers 1488. 'Anti-woman' can be conveyed with the ghost, goblin, or monster emojis.
'It's far from an exhaustive list, but it's based on common emojis used to say something very different to what you'd think,' Kalley explained on the social media platform.