Emotions in virtual communication

Emotions in virtual communication are expressed and understood in a variety of different ways from those in face-to-face interactions. Virtual communication continues to evolve as technological advances emerge that give way to new possibilities in computer-mediated communication (CMC). The lack of typical auditory and visual cues associated with human emotion gives rise to alternative forms of emotional expression that are cohesive with many different virtual environments. Some environments provide only space for text based communication,^[1] where emotions can only be expressed using words. More newly developed forms of expression provide users the opportunity to portray their emotions using images.

In contrast to in-person interactions, emotions in virtual communication are restricted to the possibilities provided by the software being used. Likewise, different platforms and software benefit users with individual advantages that are specific to each virtual environment. The emergence of emoticons allows for the employment of nonverbal cues^[2] in computer mediated communication. Ongoing research in this area investigates how and when individuals display and interpret various emotions in virtual settings.