Ep. 130 - The Emoji Code with Dr. Vyv Evans

The Social-Engineer Podcast

In this episode, Chris Hadnagy and Dr. Vyv Evans discuss the widespread use of emoji and how it can help fill the gap between text and face-to-face communication. Emoji has the ability to add tone and expressions to text that it would otherwise be lacking. In in a single picture, they can express complex ideas that would otherwise require many words to convey.

00:10 - Introduction to Dr. Vyv Evans and his Work on Emoji 01:37 - Brooklyn Teen Was Arrested for Threats Made with Emoji 03:52 - The 2 Main Functions of Language 06:12 - In Real World Scenarios, Communication Utilizes Multiple Channels 07:55 - Tone of Voice Can Change the Meaning of Our Words 09:05 - Gestures Can Change the Meaning of Our Words 10:59 - Emblems are nonverbal signals that can be translated directly into words. 12:50 - The Meaning of Emoji Can be Affected by Group or Cultural Factors 15:45 - The Rebus Principle is Used to Represent Abstract Words with Pictograms, Like Emoji 18:16 - Upcoming Virtual Trainings and Human Hacking Conference Signups.

19:58 - The Differences Between the Emoji System and Language 22:46 - Emoji Helps Text Catch Up with the Tone and Kinesics Found in Spoken Face-to-Face Interaction 23:20 - Survey Done by Match.com Corelates the Use of Emoji to Increased Sexual Activity 24:38 - Emoji Makes Us More Effective Communicators in the Digital Space 26:09 - The Angry Jerk Phenomenon and How Emoji Can Help 27:35 - Why Visuals are Important to Communication 29:23 - The 😂 (Tears of Joy) Emoji Was Oxford Dictionary’s “Word of the Year” in 2015 31:05 - How Text Can Accidentally Convey the Wrong Tone 32:10 - Emoji Can Complement the Meaning of a Word 33:32 - Nonverbals are a Vital Component to Communication 35:47 - Discussing Whether a Decrease in Vocabulary May Have Contributed to the Creation of Nonverbal Communication and Emoji

41:26 - Vyv’s Contact Info Website: https://www.vyvevans.net/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/VyvEvans LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vyv-evans/

42:23 Vyv’s Books https://www.vyvevans.net/books The Emoji Code: The Linguistics Behind Smiley Faces and Scaredy Cats 42:44 Vyv’s Book Recommendations Because Internet: Understanding the New Rules of Language