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There are some emojis that NO ONE understands, but do you have a parent or grandparent who can’t process even the most basic emojis?
A new study on emojis found that older folks are less likely to use emojis than younger adults. Which makes sense. Emojis have only been around for about 10 years, and their ascent has been fast.
They tested people’s understanding of eight emojis . . . just the face ones . . . three happy (including the ‘grinning face’), two sad (including the ‘crying face’), two surprised (including the ‘screaming face’), and one angry face.
And they found that the one older folks were least comfortable understanding was the surprised face with wide eyes and blushed cheeks. Happiness was the next most difficult to interpret.
They did not test the “LOL” face, possibly because EVERYONE knows that Boomers are VERY familiar with that one.
But there IS good news, kids. The authors of the study report that older folks have the desire to learn more about emojis and become more comfortable using them . . . they just need someone to show them the ropes.
They say improving older adults’ understanding of emojis could help combat ageism and reduce loneliness.
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