We Asked People If They Ever Used Emojis to Get Laid

New research published by the journal PLos ONE has revealed that people who frequently use emojis to decorate their text messages are more likely to get more dates and have more sex. Who would have thought sending a cheeky emoji could transform your dating life forever?

Texting has become a major form of communication particularly in the field of dating and relationships. Instead of writing pages of love letters – like our parents used to – we now have flirty emojis to help us express ourselves. Or at least, that’s the idea.

But I can’t help but wonder if emojis are really the secret to a successful dating life? And what emojis are people using to flirt their way into somebody’s heart? We asked people on the street what they thought of the latest research.

VICE: Hi Vi, do you agree with this study?
Vi: Well, yes and no. Emojis allow you to express yourself more but at the same time I disagree as everyone uses emojis it doesn’t mean that they are having more sex or something.

Interesting. So what emojis do you use when flirting with someone or sexting?
I just use the normal emojis like her and the smiley emoji. Sometimes the water emoji but not specifically for sex just for everyday conversation funnily enough.

VICE: Hi Wai, what are your thoughts on this study?
Wai: Well, I’ve been in a relationship for a long time so I can’t remember when I last had to flirt with someone new. But I agree with it, I think it comes across differently to different people for example the devil emoji can be seen as quite seductive and naughty.

So what emojis do you use to spice up your relationship?
When I flirt with my boyfriend we usually throw in stupid ones that relate to us and then there’s the aubergine emoji which everyone knows insinuates sex. I don’t know why but the sitting monkey can also be seen as quite naughty too.

VICE: Hi Matt, so do you think more emoji use is linked with having more sex?
Matt: No, from my personal perspective I wouldn’t agree with it. Maybe it’s because I’m too old so I don’t really use a lot of emojis.

If you had to express interest in someone without using words, what emoji would you use?
My emojis are slightly limited purely because I don’t understand what half of them mean so I’m not sure what I’m saying if I send an emoji but I guess it would have to be the little wink or the upside down smiley face.

VICE: Hi Teke, do you agree or disagree with this study?
Teke: I would say yes and no. The reason why I’ll say yes is because the emojis helps to make things look less serious. For example, if you ask someone to come over and do “Netflix and chill” and add the monkey emoji it gives off a jokey vibe so the girl won’t see it as too serious or get too scared.

So would you say emojis actually help when dating?
Definitely. Whoever made the emojis deserves applause because – I’m going to be honest – it actually helps, it definitely takes the weight off dating [by] making it less serious.

VICE: Hi Miche and Rose, what do you guys think of this new study?
Miche: I don’t agree with it because in relation to my friends I use way more emojis than them and they still have more sex than I do.
Rose: And I use no emojis ever and I have way more sex than she does.

So what emoji would you say turns you on the most?
Miche: The eggplant emoji is always the go-to for everybody or any of the meat ones. I have slipped a man a hand bone emoji before though.
Rose: I wouldn’t say any emoji really turns me on I just think they are funny. It reminds me of sex immediately but it doesn’t exactly turn me on. But if I had to pick, the water droplet emoji probably does it for me.

VICE: Hi Alice, do you agree with this new study?
Alice: Surprisingly I actually do. I guess it saves you from coming up with awkward wording. You know when you’re texting someone and you are not sure if you’re going to sound like an idiot you can just send an emoji instead.

Have you ever used an emoji to express your feelings to someone?
I actually haven’t done that before so I can’t really give you an example. I wouldn’t say I use emojis in a flirtatious way I use it more for banter in a funny type of way.

@kumbakpakima