Linguistic signaling, emojis, and skin tone in trust games

PLoS One. 2020 Jun 1;15(6):e0233277. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0233277. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

This paper reports the results of an experiment involving text-messaging and emojis in laboratory trust games executed on mobile devices. Decomposing chat logs, I find that trust increases dramatically with the introduction of emojis to one-shot games, while reciprocation increases only modestly. Skin tones embedded in emojis impact sharing and resulting gains-to the benefit of some and detriment to others. Both light and dark skin players trust less on receipt of a dark skin tone emoji-suggestive of statistical discrimination. In this way, computer-mediated communication leads to reduced gains for dark-skinned persons. These results highlight the complex social judgment that motivates trust in an anonymous counterpart.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Cell Phone
  • Female
  • Games, Experimental
  • Humans
  • Interpersonal Relations
  • Judgment / ethics
  • Judgment / physiology
  • Linguistics / methods
  • Male
  • Racism / psychology*
  • Skin Pigmentation
  • Text Messaging / ethics*
  • Trust / psychology*
  • Young Adult

Grants and funding

Unfunded.