Asymmetric emoji-word interactions in emotional processing

Evidence from priming and drift diffusion modeling

Bibliographic Data

ID21283705
AuthorsJiahe Sun (Shanghai University of Sport), Wanyue Geng (Hubei University), Runze He (Jining Medical University), Xi Li (0000-0003-3519-4805, Shanghai University of Sport), Jie Zhuang (0000-0002-3332-2044, Shanghai University of Sport, corresponding author), Wenguang He (0000-0001-7115-3416, Qufu Normal University, corresponding author)
Year2026
Volume265
Pages106719
Publication date2026-05-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueActa Psychologica (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0001-6918 • E-ISSN: 1873-6297
PublisherElsevier BV (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1016/j.actpsy.2026.106719
PMID41916185
OpenAlexW7143049918
LanguageEN
References cited36

This study investigated the interactive effects and cognitive mechanisms involved in the integration of emotional information conveyed by emojis and emotional words. Two affective priming experiments were conducted to examine bidirectional influences. Experiment 1 assessed how emotional words modulate emoji processing, while Experiment 2 examined the influence of emojis on word processing. Behavioral performance and cognitive parameters were analyzed using linear mixed-effects models and the Drift Diffusion Model (DDM). Behavioral results showed that when emojis served as targets, their evaluation was reliably modulated by preceding word valence, with positive emojis exhibiting a robust positivity bias in both speed and accuracy. In contrast, when emojis served as primes, immediate word valence judgments were primarily driven by the words themselves, whereas emoji-related effects emerged mainly during the recognition phase. Across both experiments, emotionally congruent prime-target pairings facilitated processing, while incongruent pairings impaired performance, consistent with schema congruence accounts. Drift Diffusion Model analyses indicated that emotional congruency facilitated information accumulation, whereas incongruency reduced processing efficiency, with overall lower drift rates when emojis served as primes, suggesting reduced efficiency in sustaining emotional expectations. Together, these findings demonstrate an asymmetric interaction between emoji and verbal emotional information. Words exert a more robust and sustained influence on emoji processing, whereas emojis modulate word processing in a weaker and stage-dependent manner. Rather than functioning as mere decorative elements, emojis act as meaningful affective cues whose impact on emotional processing depends on contextual alignment and task demands

Diffusion · Priming (agriculture) · Response priming · Digital Communication and Language · Emotion and Mood Recognition · Neurobiology of Language and Bilingualism

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