Modern Hieroglyphics and the Generation Gap: Do Emojis Need Their Own Rosetta Stone?

Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social NetworkingAhead of Print Free AccessModern Hieroglyphics and the Generation Gap: Do Emojis Need Their Own Rosetta Stone?Brenda K. WiederholdBrenda K. WiederholdBrenda K. Wiederhold, Editor-in-Chief Search for more papers by this authorPublished Online:30 Oct 2023https://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2023.29298.editorialAboutSectionsPDF/EPUB Permissions & CitationsDownload CitationsTrack CitationsAdd to favorites Back To Publication ShareShare onFacebookXLinked InRedditEmail When is a thumbs-up not a thumbs-up? When you are texting with a member of Gen Z. While this is an overly general statement, it may not be too far from the truth. Responses on a 2022 Reddit thread revealed that many young people see a response of a thumbs-up emoji alone as passive aggressive.1 Instead of taking the emoji at face value—as a signal of assent—they interpret it to mean something closer to "Yeah, right." If this is the case, lawmakers in Canada certainly missed the memo, as they recently ruled that a thumbs-up emoji is as good as a signature for obligating the sender to a legally binding contract.2 So, who is in the right? It depends.The Symbols Heard Round the WorldTexting has quickly overtaken phone calls as the most popular means of communication. It is estimated that more than 23 billion texts are sent every day,3 meaning that trillions of messages are exchanged each year. And while many of us assume that it is mostly young people whose thumbs are flying, it turns out that texting is actually preferred across pretty much all age groups.It would be easy to bemoan the loss of the rich and varied conversations that used to crisscross phone lines (especially for those of us who did not grow up with cell phones), but there are several reasons that texting has overtaken the mighty phone call in popularity. For one, it is easier to access people via text. Even if an intended recipient is unable to answer a phone call, with texting, there is no need to wait for them to finish what they are doing. One can still transfer the necessary information and move on. This is true of email and voicemail too, but because it encourages shorter, more casual exchanges, texting is often more efficient and takes less time to process for all parties involved, helping everyone keep pace with our multitasking culture.Texting is also more private than a phone call. Information can be exchanged in public or in close quarters without the risk of being overheard. In addition, it is considered by many to be a less stressful form of communication. The asynchronous nature of texting allows participants to take time to consider and compose their ideas without the pressure for an immediate response, eliminating the awkward silences or rash statements that can occur in real-time conversations.Of course, there are drawbacks to texting too. There is always the pressure to check the phone and to respond quickly, sometimes preventing a person from enjoying the moment or focusing on the task at hand (e.g., driving). There are also the shortfalls common with all forms of text, mainly the lack of nonverbal cues such as tone of voice and facial expression, which enhance verbal communication. Traditionally, writers have attempted to overcome these pitfalls and make their intentions known with word choice, sentence structure, and punctuation. In texting, we have emojis.According to some, emojis represent the "first language born of the digital world."4 Emojis, which first appeared on Japanese mobile phones in the late 1990s, evolved from emoticons, which are combinations of text-based symbols that are used to replace certain words or to express emotions in typed messages. Most of us are familiar with the happy face, expressed with a colon and a close parenthesis :). As computers and handheld devices proliferated and short-form written communication became more and more common, these symbols (and also abbreviations such as LOL) became ubiquitous.After their initial appearance in Japan, emojis quickly gained popularity because they are easier to use than emoticons and help add even more nuance and depth to brief written communications such as emails and texts. These days, young people send an average of 76 emojis per week via text,5 and 87% of the population have admitted that when it comes to expressing emotions, they would rather send an emoji-filled message than have an uncomfortable face-to-face conversation.6Cracking the CodeMake no mistake though, emojis do not ensure that there will be no uncomfortable misunderstandings or awkward faux pas. Quite the contrary. While emojis are often used with the intent of clarifying communication, since there is no emoji dictionary with universally agreed upon meanings for each symbol, there is no guarantee that a recipient will interpret an emoji in the manner the sender anticipates.Each emoji is essentially a symbol that has meaning based on cultural and societal norms. As a result, one group of people may interpret an emoji one way and another group may define it in another. Like words, the meanings of emojis are constantly evolving; they can even become like slang, each symbol representing different things to different audiences, causing chaos and confusion.Often, such a breakdown happens between senders and recipients from distinct generations. For example, 70% of those in Gen Z (i.e., those born between 1997 and 2012) admit to using emojis that go against their intended meaning, as do 60% of Millennials (i.e., those born between 1981 and 1996).6 It is important to note that the miscommunication here is not simply a matter of "boomers" being out of touch. Yes, those who grew up with texting, so-called digital natives, may have an easier time keeping up with tech trends because they are used to it. However, some of the generational communication gap comes from diverse intentions and purposes for using emojis in the first place.Research indicates that overall, Millennials and younger mostly use technology for entertainment and pleasure, while Generation X (i.e., born between 1965 and 1980) and older are mainly hoping to achieve utilitarian purposes such as obtaining information.7 As such, older generations may be using texts to confirm plans rather than to have a conversation. To this end, their messages may be shorter and to the point. They may not feel the need to pepper their communication with emojis because they are there to complete a task not build a relationship. In fact, if they do receive a message with an emoji, it may be perplexing, as they may be nonessential to the task at hand.On the other hand, younger people are used to developing friendships and having deep conversations via text. In their experiences, texting has always been around. So, they may be more comfortable communicating this way. They have created detailed norms for texting and emoji use that may break traditional "rules." Their exchanges are often filled with emojis precisely because they are focusing more on the emotions behind the message than the information. So, when they receive a text of "OK" with no emoji to indicate intent, it may feel aggressive and trigger concern.The Rosetta StoneMuch of this age-related confusion reflects what happens with any language. Younger groups morph and change the words and their usage to suit their purposes, and those who learned the language before these changes sometimes find themselves excluded. What is unique to emojis is that technology is constantly driving change, and trends are evolving so rapidly that it can be difficult for even members of similar groups to stay in sync.Emojis are a kind of representational language, and all languages evolve. This is nothing new. But these kinds of misunderstandings can cause harm, especially in the workplace or between family members, and evidence indicates that they are widespread. A 2023 poll found that a strong majority (78%) of the population have been confused by someone else's use of an emoji, and one in three people have seen a misinterpreted emoji create an uncomfortable situation.8How to fix this? The real key to breaking the code is simply to be aware that emojis do not have fixed meanings, and that not all people are texting with the same vocabulary (or for the same purpose). Once this awareness is in place, it is easier to dismiss what could be an emotional conflict as a simple generational kerfuffle.Ultimately, communication is about assuming good intentions and approaching the exchange from a place of compassion. Patience and understanding go a long way to improving how we interact, both on and off a screen.References1. Merinuk M. How the thumbs-up emoji sparked a generational war that no one is winning. Today.com, October 13, 2022. https://www.today.com/news/news/thumbs-up-emoji-debate-rcna52089 (accessed Sep. 29, 2023). Google Scholar2. Levenson M. Canadian court rules thumbs up emoji counts as a contract agreement. The New York Times, July 7, 2023. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/07/world/canada/canada-thumbs-up-emoji-contract.html (accessed Sep. 29, 2023). Google Scholar3. Giacomini A. The past, present and future of messaging. Forbes, January 6, 2021. https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2021/01/06/the-past-present-and-future-of-messaging/?sh=10801ca29f17 (accessed Sep. 29, 2023). Google Scholar4. Pardes A. The WIRED guide to emoji. Wired, February 1, 2018. https://www.wired.com/story/guide-emoji/ (accessed Sep. 29, 2023). Google Scholar5. Hampson L. These emojis make you look "old" to Gen Z, according to new poll. Yahoo Life! April 1, 2021. https://uk.style.yahoo.com/emojis-make-you-look-old-to-gen-z-125933332.html (accessed Sep. 29, 2023). Google Scholar6. The great emoji divide: knowing generational differences. KSAT.com, January 9, 2023. https://www.ksat.com/news/2023/01/09/the-great-emoji-divide-knowing-generational-differences/ (accessed Sep. 29, 2023). Google Scholar7. Calvo-Porral C, Pesqueira-Sanchez R. Generational differences in technology behaviour: comparing millennials and Generation X. Kybernetes 2020; 49:2755–2772. Crossref, Google Scholar8. Zajechowski M. Study reveals America's most confusing emojis. Preply, April 25, 2023. https://preply.com/en/blog/most-confusing-emojis/ (accessed Sep. 29, 2023). Google ScholarFiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 0Issue 0 InformationCopyright 2023, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishersTo cite this article:Brenda K. Wiederhold.Modern Hieroglyphics and the Generation Gap: Do Emojis Need Their Own Rosetta Stone?.Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking.ahead of printhttp://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2023.29298.editorialOnline Ahead of Print:October 30, 2023PDF download

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