NEW YORK, Feb 20: Are you sending the wrong message?

Researchers have uncovered texting habits that could cause your messages to unintentionally convey stronger emotions than you intended.

Adding periods between words or using them excessively can increase the “emotional intensity” of a message, according to a study conducted by scientists at Binghamton University. The study, published in Frontiers in Psychology this month, examined a phenomenon known as “textisms,” such as placing periods after each word in a sentence, and how these habits influence how messages are perceived.

“Textisms, such as irregular punctuation and deliberate misspellings, are sometimes used to replace the multimodal cues—such as tone of voice and gestures—that are available in spoken language,” explained Celia Klin, a professor of psychology and the study's author.

For the study, a group of college students was asked to review fake text messages that included periods after each word or multiple one-word messages sent separately. The students were asked to evaluate how frustrated or disgusted the sender seemed based on these texts.

The findings showed that participants associated the use of unnecessary punctuation or sending individual word texts with heightened emotional intensity. Researchers concluded that people often assume such textisms are intentional and meaningful, signaling deliberate emotion.

“This can be understood as part of the concept of ‘emotion work,’” Klin explained. “Text recipients understand that the inclusion of textisms required effort and assume this work was done with a specific purpose in mind.”

Interestingly, the study aligns with a growing trend of period avoidance in messages, particularly among younger generations. Many in Gen Z believe that periods at the end of sentences come across as angry or annoyed. For them, using proper punctuation is reserved for moments when they are upset or frustrated.

In fact, digital etiquette expert Victoria Turk argued in her book Kill Reply All that periods are “not necessary” in a text. She writes, “Only old people or troubled souls put periods at the end of every sentence.” She adds, “It’s clear when you’ve finished your thought already, so what function does the period fulfill? As a result, using a period in messaging now looks rather emphatic and can come across as if you’re quite cross or annoyed.”