Autonomic arousal to emojis: Electrodermal activity and respiratory sinus arrhythmia analysis
Abstract Emojis have become vital in virtual communication, mimicking facial expressions, and gestures to convey emotions. This study investigates their influence on emotional perception and autonomic responses during non‐face‐to‐face interactions. Hundred healthy participants (50 men, 50 women) age...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Physiological Reports |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.14814/phy2.70225 |
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| author | Deeksha Patel Abhinav Dixit Om Lata Bhagat |
| author_facet | Deeksha Patel Abhinav Dixit Om Lata Bhagat |
| author_sort | Deeksha Patel |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Emojis have become vital in virtual communication, mimicking facial expressions, and gestures to convey emotions. This study investigates their influence on emotional perception and autonomic responses during non‐face‐to‐face interactions. Hundred healthy participants (50 men, 50 women) aged 18–40 years were recruited. The emotional Stroop task (EST), incorporating emojis with congruent and incongruent emotional words, was used to assess emotional valence. Electrodermal activity (SCL and SCR amplitude) and respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) were measured during task performance. Both SCL and SCR amplitudes were significantly higher in congruent and incongruent blocks compared to the neutral block, indicating increased sympathetic activity. RSA was significantly lower in these blocks, reflecting parasympathetic withdrawal. These findings suggest heightened autonomic responses during emoji‐word EST. Emojis effectively evoke autonomic responses, influencing both sympathetic (EDA) and parasympathetic (RSA) systems. No gender differences were observed in autonomic reactions to emojis. This study highlights the potential of emojis as stimuli for emotion, cognitive and physiological research. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-aeb159afd3da45ddae7866ca6d6eaa6e |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2051-817X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Physiological Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-aeb159afd3da45ddae7866ca6d6eaa6e2025-08-20T02:12:38ZengWileyPhysiological Reports2051-817X2025-04-01137n/an/a10.14814/phy2.70225Autonomic arousal to emojis: Electrodermal activity and respiratory sinus arrhythmia analysisDeeksha Patel0Abhinav Dixit1Om Lata Bhagat2Cognitive Neurophysiology Laboratory, Department of Physiology All India Institute of Medical Sciences Jodhpur Rajasthan IndiaCognitive Neurophysiology Laboratory, Department of Physiology All India Institute of Medical Sciences Jodhpur Rajasthan IndiaAutonomic Function Test Laboratory, Department of Physiology All India Institute of Medical Sciences Jodhpur Rajasthan IndiaAbstract Emojis have become vital in virtual communication, mimicking facial expressions, and gestures to convey emotions. This study investigates their influence on emotional perception and autonomic responses during non‐face‐to‐face interactions. Hundred healthy participants (50 men, 50 women) aged 18–40 years were recruited. The emotional Stroop task (EST), incorporating emojis with congruent and incongruent emotional words, was used to assess emotional valence. Electrodermal activity (SCL and SCR amplitude) and respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) were measured during task performance. Both SCL and SCR amplitudes were significantly higher in congruent and incongruent blocks compared to the neutral block, indicating increased sympathetic activity. RSA was significantly lower in these blocks, reflecting parasympathetic withdrawal. These findings suggest heightened autonomic responses during emoji‐word EST. Emojis effectively evoke autonomic responses, influencing both sympathetic (EDA) and parasympathetic (RSA) systems. No gender differences were observed in autonomic reactions to emojis. This study highlights the potential of emojis as stimuli for emotion, cognitive and physiological research.https://doi.org/10.14814/phy2.70225autonomic nervous systemelectrodermal Activityemojisemotional Stroop taskrespiratory sinus arrhythmia |
| spellingShingle | Deeksha Patel Abhinav Dixit Om Lata Bhagat Autonomic arousal to emojis: Electrodermal activity and respiratory sinus arrhythmia analysis Physiological Reports autonomic nervous system electrodermal Activity emojis emotional Stroop task respiratory sinus arrhythmia |
| title | Autonomic arousal to emojis: Electrodermal activity and respiratory sinus arrhythmia analysis |
| title_full | Autonomic arousal to emojis: Electrodermal activity and respiratory sinus arrhythmia analysis |
| title_fullStr | Autonomic arousal to emojis: Electrodermal activity and respiratory sinus arrhythmia analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Autonomic arousal to emojis: Electrodermal activity and respiratory sinus arrhythmia analysis |
| title_short | Autonomic arousal to emojis: Electrodermal activity and respiratory sinus arrhythmia analysis |
| title_sort | autonomic arousal to emojis electrodermal activity and respiratory sinus arrhythmia analysis |
| topic | autonomic nervous system electrodermal Activity emojis emotional Stroop task respiratory sinus arrhythmia |
| url | https://doi.org/10.14814/phy2.70225 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT deekshapatel autonomicarousaltoemojiselectrodermalactivityandrespiratorysinusarrhythmiaanalysis AT abhinavdixit autonomicarousaltoemojiselectrodermalactivityandrespiratorysinusarrhythmiaanalysis AT omlatabhagat autonomicarousaltoemojiselectrodermalactivityandrespiratorysinusarrhythmiaanalysis |