# Autonomic arousal to emojis: Electrodermal activity and respiratory sinus arrhythmia analysis

## TL;DR

This study shows that emojis can trigger autonomic responses, affecting both the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems during emotional tasks.

## Contribution

The study introduces emojis as effective stimuli for eliciting measurable autonomic responses in emotional cognitive tasks.

## Key findings

- Emojis increased sympathetic activity as shown by higher electrodermal activity in congruent and incongruent emotional blocks.
- Parasympathetic withdrawal was observed through reduced respiratory sinus arrhythmia in emotional blocks compared to neutral ones.
- No gender differences were found in autonomic responses to emojis during the emotional Stroop task.

## 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.