The frontal lobe -- specifically a region called "Broca's Area" -- is involved in processing non-verbal language, speech and signs.

A recent study by Taokyo Denki University found that people use Broca's area when they're viewing emoticons. :) :) :)

So that means you actually use the same part of your brain to read a person's face as you do to read an emoticon -- and that, in turn, means that when kids learn to interpret subtle cues, tones and emotions in text-messages and instant-messages, their brains are essentially learning to interpret digital interactions as human-to-human social interactions.


The image above is from a Japanese blog.
The image below? A Spanish blog... Emoticons, like old-fashioned facial expressions, can be cross-cultural.




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