Sometimes it’s hard to convey the right tone when you’re texting — it’s why we’ve all become slaves to emojis. But here’s a tiny detail that can supposedly make a huge difference.
A new study out of Binghamton University in New York found that when you end your texts with a period, people think you’re less sincere.
Like if you were answering someone and wrote “Sure” or “Glad you had fun” and didn’t use a period — the person will assume you actually mean it.
But let’s say you write “Sure.” Or “Glad you had fun.” And you do put a period at the end somehow that comes off like you’re being insincere. Which is kind of a weird test, since both examples sound kinda cold either way, but whatever.
If you really want to come off like you’re telling the truth, use an exclamation point. The researchers found that actually makes people trust you the most.
They say it shows how language is evolving because of texting. We can’t rely on social cues, so we’re subconsciously looking for any clues about tone — and that includes punctuation.
But before you change the way you text, the study was done on college undergrads. Maybe the rest of us aren’t SO into the hidden meaning of punctuation.
