Emoji: The Language of the Future | Tracey Pickett | TEDxGreenville

Summary

This script explores the evolution of human communication, highlighting the pivotal role of emojis in the digital age. It argues that emojis, despite initial skepticism, have become a significant advancement, effectively bridging the emotional gap in text-based communication. The speaker discusses the historical context of communication, the impact of technology, and the psychological studies that show emojis activate similar brain regions as real human faces, influencing our moods and enhancing our ability to convey emotions digitally. The script concludes by encouraging viewers to embrace emojis as a legitimate form of expression and a language of the future.

Takeaways

• 📝 Emojis are considered a significant advancement in human communication, adding emotional context to digital messages.
• 🗣️ The evolution of human communication includes verbal language, pictographs, the printing press, and computer-mediated communication.
• 📜 Pictographs marked the beginning of written language, but were limited by their immobility on stone.
• 📰 The invention of the printing press and paper allowed for the transportation of messages without physical presence.
• 💻 Computer-mediated communication revolutionized the way we communicate, but it lacked the emotional aspect of face-to-face interactions.
• 🧐 Albert Mehrabian's study revealed that only 7% of effective communication is verbal, with 38% vocal and 55% nonverbal.
• 📈 Text messaging has become the dominant form of communication for Americans under 50, surpassing phone conversations.
• 😕 The difficulty of conveying emotions through text can lead to misunderstandings and misinterpretations.
• 📱 Technologies like FaceTime, Google Hangouts, and Apple's digital touch features attempt to restore social intimacy to communication.
• 😀 Emojis originated in the 1990s in Japan as a way to add simplistic cartoon images to the paging interface, and have since become a global phenomenon.
• 🧠 Research shows that emojis are processed by the brain as emotional communication, similar to facial expressions, and can influence our mood.
• 🌐 The future of emoji communication includes diversity and inclusion, allowing for a wider range of emotional and cultural expressions.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the video script?

The main topic of the video script is the significance of emojis in modern communication and their role as an advancement in human communication.

Why are emojis considered a significant advancement in human communication?

Emojis are considered a significant advancement because they help restore social intimacy and emotions to digital communication, which often lacks the emotional depth of face-to-face interactions.

What is the historical context provided for the evolution of human communication?

The historical context includes the development of verbal language, the invention of pictographs, the creation of the printing press and paper, and the advent of computer-mediated communications.

What is the 'third revolution' in communication mentioned in the script?

The 'third revolution' in communication is the invention of computer-mediated communications, which allows people to communicate virtually from anywhere using computers, phones, or mobile devices.

According to Albert Mehrabian's study, what percentage of effective communication is nonverbal?

According to Albert Mehrabian's study, 55% of effective communication is nonverbal, which includes body language.

What problem does the script identify with computer-mediated communication?

The script identifies the problem that computer-mediated communication often lacks the emotional aspect present in face-to-face communication, which can lead to misunderstandings or difficulty in conveying emotions.

What is the percentage of Americans who were using emojis as of 2015?

As of 2015, 74% of Americans were using emojis, sending an average of 96 emojis and stickers per day.

What does the study published in the Journal of Social Neuroscience suggest about our brain's response to emojis?

The study suggests that when we look at a smiley face emoji, the same parts of our brain are activated as when we look at a real human face, indicating that our brains process emojis as emotional communication.

What is the role of emojis in filling the gap left by facial expressions in digital communication?

Emojis fill the gap left by facial expressions by providing a visual representation of emotions that can be easily understood and processed by the brain, thus enhancing emotional communication in digital messages.

What is the purpose of the 'iicons' mentioned in the script?

The purpose of 'iicons' is to restore social intimacy and fun personality to everyday communications, offering a diverse and inclusive range of emojis that reflect different social and cultural references.

What is the final takeaway message from the speaker about emojis?

The final takeaway message is to embrace and learn to express oneself through emojis, recognizing them as an integral part of the language of the future and a tool for more effective communication.

Outlines

00:00

😀 The Evolution of Communication and the Rise of Emojis

This paragraph introduces the significance of emojis in modern communication, positing them as a major advancement. It outlines the historical evolution from verbal language to pictographs, the printing press, and computer-mediated communication. The speaker argues that while these technologies have enabled communication over distance, they've lacked the emotional depth of face-to-face interactions. Citing psychologist Albert Mehrabian's study, it emphasizes that only 7% of communication is verbal, with 38% vocal and 55% nonverbal, suggesting that text-based communication omits much of our expressive capacity. The paragraph also highlights the shift towards text messaging and the challenges it presents in conveying emotions effectively.

05:01

📲 The Emergence and Impact of Emojis on Communication

This section delves into the origin of emojis, which began as a Japanese Telecom company's strategy to attract younger users by incorporating simple images into their messaging service. The success of this approach led to Apple integrating emojis into the first iPhone to penetrate the Japanese market. The speaker discusses the rapid adoption and usage of emojis, supported by statistics showing that by 2015, a majority of Americans were using emojis daily. Scientific research is mentioned, indicating that emojis activate similar brain regions as real human faces, suggesting that emojis are processed as emotional communication rather than text. The paragraph also touches on the development of new brain patterns in response to digital communication and the role of emojis in filling the emotional gap left by text.

10:03

🌐 The Future of Emojis and Enhancing Digital Communication

The final paragraph discusses the future of emojis, focusing on diversity and inclusion to better reflect the range of emotions and cultural references in communication. It provides examples of how different people might respond to the same situation with different emojis, based on their personal and cultural backgrounds. The speaker shares the story of creating 'iicons' to restore social intimacy and personality to digital communication. The paragraph concludes with a call to action, encouraging viewers to embrace and learn to express themselves through emojis, recognizing them as a vital part of the evolving language of the future.

Keywords

💡Emoji

Emoji are small digital icons or images used to express an idea, emotion, or concept in electronic communication. In the video, emoji are presented as a significant advancement in human communication, particularly in the digital age. They are used to convey emotions and social cues that text alone cannot, filling the gap left by the lack of non-verbal cues in digital communication. The video emphasizes that emojis are becoming integral to our vernacular and are processed by our brains similarly to facial expressions.

💡Communication

Communication refers to the process of exchanging information, ideas, or emotions through speech, signals, writing, or behavior. The video discusses the evolution of human communication, from verbal language to written pictographs, and then to digital communication. It highlights how emojis have become a critical tool in modern communication, enhancing the emotional aspect of digital messages.

💡Pictograph

A pictograph is a pictorial symbol used to represent an object or concept. In the video, the invention of the pictograph is described as the first revolution in human communication, marking the beginning of written language. Pictographs allowed early humans to convey messages through images, which was a precursor to the development of more complex writing systems.

💡Printing Press

The printing press is a device that allows for the rapid production of texts and images by pressing inked type onto paper. The video mentions the printing press as the second revolution in communication, enabling the transportation of messages over long distances without the need for physical presence, thus revolutionizing the spread of information.

💡Computer-Mediated Communication

Computer-mediated communication (CMC) refers to communication that is facilitated by a computer or other digital devices. The video describes the advent of CMC as the third revolution in communication, allowing people to communicate virtually anywhere through devices like computers and smartphones. However, it also points out the challenge of replacing face-to-face communication with digital communication, which lacks emotional depth.

💡Albert Mehrabian

Albert Mehrabian was a psychologist who conducted research on the relative importance of verbal and nonverbal cues in communication. The video cites his study, which found that only 7% of communication is verbal, 38% is vocal (tone of voice), and 55% is nonverbal (body language). This underscores the importance of emojis in digital communication, as they help to convey the nonverbal and vocal aspects that are missing in text-based messages.

💡Social Intimacy

Social intimacy refers to the close and personal connections that people form with one another. The video discusses how digital communication, particularly text messaging, has reduced social intimacy due to the lack of emotional cues. Emojis are presented as a way to restore some of this intimacy by allowing users to express emotions that might otherwise be lost in digital communication.

💡iMessage Effects

iMessage Effects are animated responses in Apple's messaging app that can be sent alongside text messages to convey emotions or reactions. The video mentions iMessage Effects as an example of how technology is trying to enhance digital communication with more emotional depth. These effects include sending balloons, confetti, or even slamming down a message, adding a playful and expressive element to text conversations.

💡Digital Touch

Digital Touch is a feature of Apple Watch that allows users to send sketches, taps, or their heartbeat to another Apple Watch user. The video uses Digital Touch as an example of how technology is attempting to mimic the emotional and intimate aspects of face-to-face communication in a digital format, allowing for a more personal connection even when physically apart.

💡Diversity and Inclusion

Diversity and inclusion refer to the recognition and celebration of differences in culture, race, gender, and other aspects of identity. The video suggests that as emojis become more prevalent in communication, there is a need for them to reflect the diverse experiences and emotions of all users. This includes creating emojis that represent a wide range of cultural references and social expressions to ensure that everyone can find emojis that resonate with their own experiences.

💡iicons

iicons are a type of emoji or sticker created by the video's speaker and their co-founders to enhance personal expression in digital communication. The video mentions iicons as an example of how emojis can be tailored to individual experiences and cultural backgrounds, allowing for more personalized and intimate communication. iicons aim to restore the fun and personality to everyday digital interactions.

Highlights

Emojis are considered the most significant advancement in human communication in the 21st century.

The evolution of human communication includes verbal language, pictographs, the printing press, and computer-mediated communication.

Emojis were invented in the 1990s by a Japanese Telecom company employee to add to their paging interface.

Apple incorporated emojis into the first iPhone in 2007 to break into the Japanese market.

By 2015, 74% of Americans were using emojis, sending an average of 96 emojis and stickers per day.

Emojis are filling the gap left by facial expressions in digital communication.

Dr. Owen Church's study found that our brains process emojis as emotional communication, similar to real human faces.

Emojis are creating new brain patterns, affecting our mood and facial mimicry responses.

Technology has responded to the need for social intimacy in communication with features like FaceTime, Google Hangouts, and Apple's digital touch.

Apple's iMessage effects allow for sending animations that restore social intimacy.

Diversity and inclusion are the next steps in emoji evolution, allowing for a wider range of emotional and cultural expressions.

The creation of iicons aims to restore social intimacy and personality to everyday communications.

Emojis are becoming a part of our everyday vernacular and are processed as emotional communication by our brains.

The speaker encourages embracing and expressing oneself through emojis as they are the language of the future.

Emojis help communicate emotions effectively in the digital age, complementing rather than replacing traditional communication methods.

Transcripts

[Music]

you're about to discover a very

important topic a topic that could

literally make or break your ability to

communicate effectively in the 21st

century what is

that emoji now some of you might be

feeling like this

or like

that but this is a topic that I'm going

to convince you emojis are perhaps the

most significant advancement in human

Communications as we know it but first

let's take a look back at the evolution

of human

Communications of course there was

verbal language that developed long

before we could document it but then

came the first Revolution the invention

of the pictograph

now the pictograph marked the beginning

of written language but because these

writings were in stone they were

immobile so that led to the second

revolution the invention of the printing

press and paper and this was great

because we could now transport a message

from one place to the next without

actually being there but then came the

third

Revolution the invention of computer

mediated

Communications or what some of you might

call the assassination of American

literacy as we know it

um but this was incredible because for

the first time we could communicate with

anyone virtually anywhere just by

accessing a computer or a phone or a

mobile

device however there was one problem

with this latest Revolution it was the

first one that was actually replacing

face-to-face Communications and that

would be okay except face to-face

Communications has always been emotional

and computer mediated Communications

is

not now I'm sure you're saying well

great but like we all know what

effective communication is right it's

not just what you say

but right because it takes more than

just words and information for us to

develop and maintain

relationships there's a well-known and

often cited psychologist by the name of

Albert maravian who did a fabulous study

huge study everyone loved it bigly and

uh he discovered that only 7% of

effective communication is verbal

meaning the words that we're saying and

38% is vocal meaning our tone of voice

and how we say what we say and

55% is nonverbal meaning just our body

language so that means when we're

texting literally

93% of our communicative skills are

negated now I'm sure some of the

significant others out there are saying

great let's just keep it this way but

this is actually a big problem I'm going

to take a quick poll how many of you

would say that you send more text

messages than you do making phone calls

if you need to communicate something

right because this is the world that we

now live in and according to a 2014

Gallop

poll text messages now exceed phone

conversations as a dominant form of

communication for Americans under the

age of 50 reaching nearly 60% for some

age groups of all the communicating that

we're doing we're doing over some form

of

text now I'm sure we can all relate to

the difficulty of

communicating emotions over text

messages or simply being misunderstood

or getting that email reply that really

wasn't warranted based on the intent of

your original message so what has

technology done to respond to this need

to restore social intimacy and emotions

back to our everyday Communications now

I'm sure we're all used to you know

FaceTime and Google Hangouts right and

Skype and this allows us to see each

other when we're talking on the phone um

but just like I said phone conversations

are quickly going out of style so

there's that uh then we've got Apple's

digital touch features and this is cool

because we can send our heart rate or

doodle a message or even tap on tap

someone on the wrist when they have an

Apple watch now that restores some

social intimacy right but then we also

have Apple's iMessage effects and these

are super cool because you can send

balloons and confetti and even slam down

a text message on someone's iMessage

interface that's my favorite um but if

you haven't access these please do

they're worth like 10 cool points every

time you send one but while all of these

are great and they are perhaps the most

significant advancement in restoring

social intimacy back to our everyday

Communications is

Emoji now where did Emoji come from I'm

glad you asked uh an employee at a

Japanese Telecom company back in the

1990s came up with a brilliant idea to

add simplistic cartoon images to their

paging interface and this was a way that

they could compete in the market and

attract more teenagers well this was so

successful that not only did the

Japanese Telecom adopt it but when Apple

came out with the first iPhone back in

2007 they decided to incorporate a

hidden keyboard for emoji just to break

into the Japanese

market now how many of you can remember

having to download that Japanese

language app right just to unlock your

emoji keyboard anybody remember that

well that's because Apple never really

intended for us to find it but of course

we did and Emoji was well on his way to

becoming the fastest growing language in

history now by 2015

74% of Americans were using emojis

sending an average of 96 emojis and

stickers per day now believe it or not

this cultural and social shift in the

way that we communicate and this new use

of emoji has been the subject of real

scientific research because somebody has

some time on their hands clearly uh just

kidding I'm one of those people um and

um and what is being found is that not

only are emojis becoming a part of our

everyday vernacular they're starting to

fill the Gap left by facial expressions

so there's a study that was published in

the Journal of Social neuroscience and

Dr Owen Church found that when we look

at a smiley face on a screen the same

parts of our brain are activated as when

we look at a real human face not only

that humans are now having facial

mimicry responses to Emoji like you see

up here

and lastly he found that our mood now

changes to match the emotion of an emoji

that we're sending or receiving now

think about that that means that our

brains are now processing Emoji as

emotional

communication and not words and what's

even more

interesting is that we were not born

with digital communication skills right

that that means that emoji is actually

creating a new brain pattern within us

and doing the same thing that tone of

voice and gestures do in our

face-to-face

Communications uh anybody else feel like

this I mean I was going to do a mic drop

right there but I have this so I can't

um but this is really interesting so

what's next in this evolution of human

communication and this new language of

emoji well diversity and inclusion of

course because it's not enough that we

can communicate emotions like happy and

sad and mad right we need to be able to

communicate those emotions with the same

social and cultural references that we

have available to us in our day-to-day

Communications so for

example your friend texts you and says

oh my God I got the job I'm so excited

for some people your response might look

like this yes right

and for others it might be this right

but see I grew up in the church culture

I'm a little animated so my response

would be

this and that's why my co-founders and I

created iicons because we wanted to

restore that social intimacy and that

that fun

personality back to our everyday

Communications all right here's another

example

say you're saying goodbye to your

colleagues you're going off onto a new

adventure and you're leaving your job

depending on your experience you might

want to send something like this right

for others you might feel this way that

might help uh but when I left my job

back in October uh to go and pursue

entrepreneurship full-time I got the

nerve to send

this

okay

and that's because I had one opportunity

to leave a lasting impression and to

show how I felt to the colleagues that I

would miss so much so believe it or not

guys we really have stumbled upon a

whole new way to communicate in the

digital

age and while emojis and text messaging

will never replace the old way these

little surrogate faces are going to help

us to communicate more effectively so

what is all of this about and and why am

I even here talk about it like what's

the takeaway the next time you see an

emoji I don't want you to dismiss it as

some infantile cartoon I want you to

embrace the

Emoji I want you to become the Emoji I

want you to learn to express yourself

through the

Emoji because they really are the

language of the

future thank you

what

[Music]