Are you unknowingly making your texts seem aggressive? A study from Binghamton University suggests that using periods between words or sending single-word texts in separate bubbles can make messages feel more intense—sometimes in a negative way.

Professor Celia Klin explains that these “textisms” add emotional weight to messages, much like tone and gestures in spoken language. Her previous research also found that ending texts with a period can make them seem insincere.

In a study of college students, participants rated messages with excessive punctuation as more emotional, often interpreting them as frustrated or upset. The findings align with Gen Z’s growing aversion to formal punctuation in texting. Many believe that using periods in casual messages makes the sender seem annoyed, reinforcing a broader shift in digital communication norms.

So, if you’re wondering why your messages go unanswered, you might want to rethink your punctuation habits.

Source: New York Post