The Secret Cause of Flame Wars

People often think the tone or emotion in their messages is obvious because they 'hear' the tone they intend in their head as they write.

At the same time, those reading messages unconsciously interpret them based on their current mood, stereotypes and expectations. Despite this, the research subjects thought they accurately interpreted the messages nine out of 10 times. Read more ...

This corresponds with research re. non-verbal communication; one's facial expression conveys more/makes a bigger impression than one's actual words. People remember what your face looks like when you speak, more than what you actually say.