Beyond the Emoji : Understanding Digital Emotions
Written By : Ms. Mina Dilip, Consultant Psychologist & Play Therapist I love emojis. In fact, if you've ever received a text from me, you've probably noticed that I use them rather generously. I'm always on the lookout for new ones, and my current favourite is the little bouncing ball. It has bounced its way into far too many of my WhatsApp messages, much to the amusement and occasional exasperation of my friends and family. My teenage son recently decided it was time for an intervention. Apparently, there are unwritten rules about emoji usage, and I had unknowingly broken several of them. I thought emojis were fairly straightforward. A smile meant happiness, a thumbs-up meant "okay," and a heart meant affection. Then my son gently informed me that I had been living in a parallel emoji universe. Apparently, a thumbs-up can sometimes come across as passive-aggressive, a slightly smiling face may not be smiling at all, and the rules of emoji etiquette have be...