Sysoeva I.A., Sysoeva T.A. The Accuracy of Others’ Emotion Recognition During Online Text Messaging and Observation of Offline Behavior
Irina A. Sysoeva , Student, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, Moscow, Russia; bld. 82–1, Vernadsky Ave., Moscow, Russia, 119571; https://orcid.org/0009-0005-5476-0579; irusik0711@yandex.ru
Tatiana A. Sysoeva , PhD (Psychology), Senior Research Fellow, Laboratory for Cognitive Research, HSE University, Moscow, Russia; 20, Myasnitskaya St., Moscow, Russia, 101000; https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1909-3537; tatiana.sysoeva@mail.ru
Currently, instant text messaging is widespread and often replaces regular offline communication. At the same time, such an important component of interaction as understanding the emotions of the interlocutor in online text communication may be difficult because of the lack of nonverbal emotional cues (facial expressions, gestures, etc.). Although it is generally believed that emotional exchange is possible in online communication, the comparison of emotion recognition accuracy in the two described situations is almost not studied.
The aim of this study is to compare emotion recognition accuracy in a situation of online text messaging and during observation of offline behavior.
Forty-four participants aged 18–50 years (M = 21, SD = 5.88), 40 women and 4 men, took part in the study. To assess emotion recognition accuracy in online communication, the following procedure was used. Each participant had a conversation lasting approximately 15 minutes using instant text messaging with one of the others. After this they assessed their partners’ and their own emotions. A video test by Ovsyannikova and Lyusin was used to assess offline emotion recognition accuracy.
No statistically significant differences were found in accuracy and sensitivity indices between the two situations studied. There was also no correlation between accuracy and sensitivity indices in online communication and offline observation.
Contrary to assumptions, overall emotion recognition accuracy does not decrease as a result of the lack of standard nonverbal emotional cues. It is possible that the specific online text communication emotional cues are sufficient to recognize the emotions of the interlocutor. The lack of correlations between emotion recognition accuracy in the two situations is interpreted as evidence of the heterogeneity of emotion recognition ability and the need for a separate study and consideration of its various aspects.
Key words: emotion recognition, accuracy of others’ emotion recognition, online text-based messaging, nonverbal emotional cues
For citation: Sysoeva, I.A., Sysoeva, T.A. (2026). The accuracy of other’s emotion recognition during online text messaging and observation of offline behavior. New Psychological Research, No. 3, 95–114. DOI: 10.51217/npsyresearch_2026_06_03_05
Keywords: emotion recognition accuracy of others’ emotion recognition online text-based messaging nonverbal emotional cues
Received: 26th septemper 2026
Published: 26th septemper 2026