Oh the times, oh the customs. Who knew that something as small as a dot in your text message could be fatal? Our creative minds interpret text conversations the way they want. This is why you should think twice before putting a period at the end of your posts. We are here to save your text messages and relationships.
YouYou Seem Less Sincere
A study by psychologists at Binghamton University found that texts without dots were considered more genuine. The participants were teenagers whose task was to read the short text messages they had and without a period in the end.
Although the period failed in digital texts, also in writing. If you still want to use a punctuation mark, leave it as an exclamation point to make it look more animated.
May appear passYou Can Come Across As Passive-aggressive
The period can make your text feel aggressive, even if you don’t want it to be. The point is that this punctuation mark is too definitive and its use is simply unnecessary. It has no grammatical function because it is clear when the text ends.
You May Sound Indifferent
We can’t see each other during messages, so we don’t have these clues that allow us to guess someone’s mood. A study by several psychologists revealed that responses with a dot seemed less enthusiastic.
Furthermore, it can also be seen as somewhat abrupt. For example, saying “no.” shuts down the discussion, while “no…” lets it continue.
You Might Be Seen As Remote
Using a period, in the end, can seem quite formal for a text message. Therefore, it is fair to say that the level of formality determines the score. People often use a period with a rhetorical meaning to emphasize or convey other emotions.
What is your opinion on the use of the point? Do you put it at the end of your texts?
Preview photo credit Depositphotos.com, Depositphotos.com
