If your love language is sending TikToks and memes, you’re probably engaging in pebbling.
Don’t worry, it’s not dirty. The origins are actually quite adorable.
Pebbling is the courting ritual of Gentoo penguins. The male penguin goes around and finds the very best pebbles he can and presents them to the female penguin he’s courting. These pebbles are then used to make their nest (should she accept his proposal).
Told you—super cute. But now you’re probably wondering, “Wtf does this have to do with humans and memes?”
Basically, sending small digital offerings (texts, memes, videos, TikToks, etc.) is our version of pebbling. And while it may seem trivial, it can actually help strengthen your relationships.
That’s because it’s a signal to the other person that you’re thinking about them. That you saw something you thought they would enjoy and wanted to share that with them to make them happy. It can also be seen as a bid for connection, which is pretty much exactly what it sounds like—a request to connect with someone.
Also, research has found that people appreciate an unexpected message way more than we realize.
So, the next time you’re debating whether or not to send someone a TikTok that made you think of them, just do it. These tiny gestures matter.
You ask, we answer. Send your relationship questions to [email protected], and one of our experts may just answer them in an upcoming column.
