What does your use of emojis say about your sex and datinglife? According to a new study published in the journal PLoS ONE, a lot, actually. In fact,the frequent use of emojis with potential dates is linked to not only having sex more often but also to a more active and successful dating life.
These conclusions come from two separate studies conducted by researchers at The Kinsey Institute. In the first study, they analyzed data from a large survey of 5,327 single Americans that was designed to reflect the demographic diversity of the United States. Participants ranged in age from 18-94, and most identified as heterosexual (87 percent) and as White (62 percent).
Participants completed a survey inquiring about whether they use emojis, and if so, why. They were also asked several questions about their current sex and dating life.
So how often do people use emojis with potential dates? It turned out that 38 percent said they never do, 29 percent hardly ever do, 28 percent regularly use them, 3 percent use at least one in every text, and 2.5 percent use more than one in every text.
People’s reasons for using emojis varied and included wanting to give their messages morepersonality, making it easier to express feelings, making communication faster than typing, and because it’s trendy (in other words, because everyone else is doing it).
The frequent use of emojis predicted going on more first dates over the past year, as well as more frequent sexual activity.
The second study was a smaller online survey of 275 adults that attempted to replicate and extend these findings. Participants ranged in age from 18-71, and most identified as heterosexual (84 percent) and White (73 percent).
Emoji use was more common in this sample; in fact, just 3 percent said they never use emojis with potential dates. Also, in contrast to the first study, emoji use was not linked to going on more first dates; however, it was linked to having more second dates.
Like the first study, frequent emoji use was linked to having more frequent sex. It was also linked to having more sex partners in the last year.
Also, with respect to the most recent date they went on, frequent emoji users were more likely to have kissed and had sex with that partner. They were also more likely to have gone on a second date and to have entered a relationship with that person.