Emoji users are more emotionally intelligent.
Research suggests that people who regularly use the icons in text chats with family and friends are more in touch with their feelings.
Women are more likely to use emojis but anxious and private people were often less comfortable doing so.
The US study questioned 320 people on their background and the messages they sent and those who were confident in emoji usage in correspondence demonstrated a strong level of emotional intellect.
Dr. Simon Dubé, a psychologist from the Kinsey Institute at Indiana University, said: “The way we interact during virtual communications may reveal something more about ourselves.
“It is not just a smiley face or heart emoji, it’s a way to convey meaning and communicate more effectively.
“How you use it tells us something about you.”
He added: “Emojis meet a need for non-verbal support in the absence of signals and cues from face-to-face communication.
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“This research suggests people often send emojis to reduce uncertainty, modulate the tone of a message or increase the precision of a message.”
