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Your Partner's Texting Style Can Reveal A Lot About Your Relationship

by Jacqueline Burt Cote

Relationships are tricky business, and pretty much every couple has to deal with a communication breakdown at some point (or several points). While it's probably been that way ever since human beings started pairing off, there's no question that texting has brought a new element of potential communication pitfalls into the mix. Now, not only do we have to figure out the meaning behind our partner's speech and body language, we have to decode their onscreen messages, too. So what does your partner's texting style say about your relationship?

The issue with texting, as we all know, is that it can be tough to figure out a person's tone. Does that lack of punctuation mean your S.O. is being curt, or are they just in a hurry? Or what if you find yourself waiting for a response longer than usual — is there trouble brewing or is your partner just stuck in meeting? In one study, psychologists at Pace University found that couples with similar texting styles were happier in their relationships overall than their counterparts, with both the content and frequency of messaging being taken into account, according to The Daily Mail. While it might seem like NBD, if your texts are constantly being misinterpreted or ignored (or the other way around), it's bound to start an argument eventually. Or a compromise: My husband, for example, knows that I interpret any text that doesn't end with an exclamation point as outright hostile. (I know, I'm a weirdo, it's just this thing I have, okay?)

That said, there are some people who just aren't that into texting — or just have some quirky habits that can be tough to figure out. Naturally, the only way you'll ever really know what's up is if you ask, like, IRL. But if your partner's texting style falls into one of the following categories, it just might mean something along these lines.

They use emojis for everything

If a picture is worth a thousand words, an emoji has to be worth at least a few, right? The meaning of some emojis is more obvious than others (eggplant, ahem), but a frequent use of emojis overall could mean that your relationship is of a particularly playful nature. As experimental psychologist Dr. Monica Riordan told Vogue, "emojis add an element of playfulness, and that translates into joy." (Also, they're cute.)

They use periods.

As most text-savvy types know, the rules of regular punctuation do not apply. In fact, if your beloved ends text messages with a period, it could even be a sign that they're, well, a bit heartless. Researchers at Binghamton University found that texts ending with a period are "perceived as being less sincere," reported The Washington Post. (Or, you know, maybe they just didn't get the memo about periods being really hostile in texts.)

They use a lot of exclamation points.

Apparently I'm not alone when it comes to the exclamation points thing: In a follow up study, the same researchers who found that periods are basically the worst in text found that messages ending with an exclamation point appear more sincere than those without any type of punctuation at all, shared Tech Times. So clearly if your partner is liberal with the exclamation points, they must be super genuinely into you.

They text you 24/7.

It might seem like a sign of utter devotion if your partner is forever checking in, but it could also be a sign that there are some major underlying insecurities. In one study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, people with "insecure or avoidant attachment styles" texted significantly more with their partners than those who didn't have attachment issues. Hey, some people just need a little extra reassurance, okay?

They take forever to respond.

Don't freak out, but if your other half has a bad habit of never getting back to you right away, the reason might not have anything to do with a busy schedule. As relationship expert Dr. Max Blumberg told The Mirror, "Messaging makes the inevitable happen more quickly. If someone fancies you, the chances are they will get back to you quickly."

Or maybe they're just playing hard to get? Sigh.

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