Lost in Translation

The way your brain processes text messages (both writing and reading them) escalates an argument exponentially. “When you text, you’re activating the more logical part of your brain. When you speak, you’re using the more emotional circuits,” says Amador. So even when you’re writing a text that’s intended to be loving or remorseful, it’s naturally going to come across as a bit cold and detached when he sees it in type. Our brains are wired to read only a part of a message, not the whole thing, which causes us to jump to conclusions. “It goes back to how we learned to read as a kid. Your brain automatically groups together words and phrases so you can expect what the next word will be,” says Amador. So instead of carefully scanning the message, your eyes dart to a few key words, and your mind fills in the rest.