From Poop Emoji to Heart-Eyes Emoji: How to Use Emojis to Find the Person of Your Dreams

Emojis Represent Real Emotions in a Digital World

With over 5-billion mobile users around the planet, it was only a matter of time before the world of science made interesting connections between digital profiles and our love lives. To understand the delicate dance of courting rituals in our society, researchers followed the lives of 5,327 individuals whose ages ranged between 18 and 94.

This study extracted valuable tidbits from their communications, specifically the frequency in which they relied on emojis to capture emotions or hidden innuendos hidden in their messages. While many felt these data points were meaningless, they revealed an interesting fact: participants who used emojis regularly were more likely to go on dates with the person on the receiving end.

Which Emojis Produced the Best Results?

Unfortunately, the data from the study didn’t specify which emojis returned the best results. However, using emojis for specific interactions seems to bring the best chance of attracting a partner. While it may seem appropriate to send a wink-faced emoji when your crush tells you they’ve split up with their long-term partner, reserve your excitement and send a sad-face emoji instead.

For all of our soon-to-be casanovas out there, we’ve done your homework for you. Here are some emojis to get you started on your journey to be the next serial dater in your school, workplace or neighborhood:

• Picture of your crush in a dress: heart-eye emoji or wink-face emoji
  
• Sending a text after a first date: kiss-face emoji
  
• Valentine’s day: lipstick-kiss emoji and heart emoji
  
• When they say, “stop being so naughty!”: smirk emoji or happy-devil emoji
  

Why Emojis Work

Let’s be honest: while many of us claim to hate emojis or refer to them as “lame,” they give us a human-like experience within digital communication. Online dating can feel like a dry, dull experience devoid of real-world personalities. When we introduce small, silly faces into the equation, we can accurately depict how the person on the other end of the phone is feeling.

When we make a connection with a person based on realistic emotions, we’re more inclined to get to know them and spend time with them in a personal setting. And as every hopeful romantic knows, nothing beats slowly falling in love with a person who you connect with on a deep level.

And, to be fair, emojis lighten the mood. In a society that takes everything personally, emojis force us into a small chuckle and ease our anxiety, if only for a moment. Whether we’re working 80-hour weeks in a medical residency or chasing our kids around the house, nothing beats a hearty laugh that causes us to snort and mimic the noise that an aquatic animal at the zoo makes.

Now get out there and have fun, but more importantly, start sending some thoughtful emojis! Who knows: you could be one emoji away from finding the person of your dreams!