The Influence of Emoticons on Personality Perception
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The Influence of Emoticons on Personality Perception Lauren DeIntinis, Faith Govan and Brian McElveney Faculty Advisor: Dawn Blasko Penn State Erie, The Behrend College Presented at the Western Pennsylvania Undergraduate Psychology Conference Contact: [email protected] Abstract This study examined the effects that emoticons have on the perceptions of conversational partners. Participants took part in a guided conversation via Google Chat where they discussed a current event article they read prior to chatting. Emoticons were randomly assigned to each participant. There were four conditions of emoticon use: positive, negative, wink, or no emoticon. Following their participation in the conversation, participants rated their conversational partner on the Big 5 personality scale. We hypothesized that the type of emoticon used will influence the chat partner’s perceived personality. Data were analyzed using a series of one-way ANOVAs on emoticon condition and perceived personality of sender based on the Big 5 Personality traits (Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Emotional Stability). The results show us that the chat partner was perceived as more agreeable when they used the positive emoticon, and less emotionally stable when the wink emoticon was used. Results •A linear regression model was used to predict which of our participants use emoticons and what they use them for. • By using the participants personality traits, agreeableness, extraversion, and emotional stability, being the most impactful on the results, we were able to explain 11.6% of the variance of those who use emoticons in everyday use. (R 2 = .12, F = 3.21, p = .03) • By using the participants personality traits, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and emotional stability, being the most impactful on the results, we were able to explain 20% of the variance of those who use emoticons to express humor. (R 2 = .20, F = 6.09, p = .001) Discussion •Less emotionally stable and the more agreeable, more likely to use emoticons. •Chat partners are seen as more agreeable when they pair optimistic messages with positive emoticons • (Luor, Wu, Lu, and Tao, 2010) •Participant’s perceived extraversion rating higher when a wink emoticon and support statement of campus going dry was used • Participants may have perceived the wink as a form of sarcasm (Walther and D’Addario, 2001) . References Brittan, D. (1995, October). The Shadow of Your Smiley. Technology Review, 98(7). Electronic Communication. (2008, May 22). In Pew Internet and American Life Project. Retrieved April 10, 2012 Luor, T., Wu, L., Lu, H., & Tao, Y. (2010, March 5). The Effect of Emoticons in Simplex and Complex Task-Oriented Communication: An Empirical Study of Instant Messaging. Computers in Human Behavior, 26, 889-895. McKenna, K. Y., Bargh, J. A. (2004, July 11). The Internet and Social Life. Annual Review, 55(57), 573-590. doi: 10.1146 Rezabek, L. L., & Cochenour, J. J. (1998, Fall). Visual Cues in Computer- Mediated Communication: Supplementing Text With Emoticons. Journal of Visual Literacy, 18(2), 201-215. U.S. Teen Mobile Report: Calling Yesterday, Texting Today, Using Apps Tomorrow. (2010, October 14). In Nielsen Wire. Retrieved April 9, 2012 Walther, J. B., & D’Addario, K. P. (2001, Fall). The Impacts of Emoticons on Message Interpretation in Computer-Mediated Communication. Social Science Computer Review, 19(3), 324-347. doi: 10.1177/089443930101900307. Acknowledgements We would like to thank our faculty advisor, Dr. Dawn Blasko, for her continued support and guidance throughout the duration of the study. We would also like to thank Dr. Robert Light, the senior associate dean of the Penn State Behrend Research Office, for supporting this study with a research grant. Electronic Communication •87% of teens engage in some form of electronic communication (Pew Internet Project, 2008) •43% of teenagers now say texting is the number one reason they get a cell phone (Nielson, 2010) •Voice usage has decreased by 14% among teens and is decreasing in all age groups under 55 (Nielson, 2010) Previous Research •Scott Fahlman creates the “emoticon” in 1981 (Brittain, 1995) •In chats some non-verbal information is not transferred fully (McKenna & Bargh, 2000). •Emoticons support written communication much like non-verbal cues and prosody (Rezabek & Cochenour, 1998) •Emoticons affect emotions felt in receiver (Luor, Wu, Lu & Tao, 2010) Research Questions •Who uses emoticons and how are they used? •How do emoticons affect a person’s mood? •How do emoticons influence a person’s opinion of a topic? •How do emoticons influence a person’s perception of their conversation partner? •Can emoticons in a received message affect their chat partner’s response? There was a significant interaction found between emoticon use and the Big Five trait, Agreeableness, F (3, 73) = 2.94, p = .04. This shows that participants rated their chat partner highest on agreeableness when they received a positive emoticon. Chat variable analysis: Displays the frequencies of coded variables from the chat analysis based on the emoticon each participant was assigned. Perceived Personality Rating X Emoticon Type Analysis of Participant Responses Participants •IRB Approval •77 Participants • 35 Males, 42 Females • 18-39 years old, M=19 years old •Research Participation Pool • Penn State Behrend, Erie, PA • SONA System •Ethical Guidelines with Informed Consent Materials •Participant Questionnaire • Demographics • Use of CMC • Mood • Opinion of Behrend as Dry Campus •Big Five Personality Questionnaire (Saucier, 1994) •Perception Questionnaire • Post Mood • Post Opinion of Behrend of Dry Campus • Likeability of Chat Partner • Enjoyment of Conversation • Persuasiveness of Partner • Personal use of emoticons Procedure Pre/Post Mood Ratings X Emoticon Type There was a significant interaction of pre/post mood rating and emoticon type, F (3,73) = 2.86, p = .04. Post-hoc tests found that a person’s mood rating increases when no emoticon is used, t (17) = 2.27, p = 0.04. This shows that our hypothesis was incorrect, and that emoticon use does change a person’s mood. Sex X Pre/Post Opinion X Emoticon Type There were no main effect of sex, opinion, or emoticon type found. However there was a significant interaction of opinion and sex, F (1,69) = 4.03, p = .05.
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Transcript of The Influence of Emoticons on Personality Perception
The Influence of Emoticons on Personality Perception
Lauren DeIntinis, Faith Govan and Brian McElveneyFaculty Advisor: Dawn Blasko
Penn State Erie, The Behrend CollegePresented at the Western Pennsylvania Undergraduate Psychology Conference Contact: [email protected]
AbstractThis study examined the effects that emoticons have on the perceptions of conversational partners. Participants took part in a guided conversation via Google Chat where they discussed a current event article they read prior to chatting. Emoticons were randomly assigned to each participant. There were four conditions of emoticon use: positive, negative, wink, or no emoticon. Following their participation in the conversation, participants rated their conversational partner on the Big 5 personality scale. We hypothesized that the type of emoticon used will influence the chat partner’s perceived personality. Data were analyzed using a series of one-way ANOVAs on emoticon condition and perceived personality of sender based on the Big 5 Personality traits (Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Emotional Stability). The results show us that the chat partner was perceived as more agreeable when they used the positive emoticon, and less emotionally stable when the wink emoticon was used.
Results•A linear regression model was used to predict which of our participants use emoticons and what they use them for.
• By using the participants personality traits, agreeableness, extraversion, and emotional stability, being the most impactful on the results, we were able to explain 11.6% of the variance of those who use emoticons in everyday use.
(R2 = .12, F = 3.21, p = .03)
• By using the participants personality traits, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and emotional stability, being the most impactful on the results, we were able to explain 20% of the variance of those who use emoticons to express humor.
(R2 = .20, F = 6.09, p = .001)
Discussion•Less emotionally stable and the more agreeable, more likely to use emoticons.
•Chat partners are seen as more agreeable when they pair optimistic messages with positive emoticons
• (Luor, Wu, Lu, and Tao, 2010)
•Participant’s perceived extraversion rating higher when a wink emoticon and support statement of campus going dry was used
• Participants may have perceived the wink as a form of sarcasm (Walther and D’Addario, 2001)
.
References
Brittan, D. (1995, October). The Shadow of Your Smiley. Technology Review, 98(7). Electronic Communication. (2008, May 22). In Pew Internet and American Life Project. Retrieved April 10, 2012Luor, T., Wu, L., Lu, H., & Tao, Y. (2010, March 5). The Effect of Emoticons in Simplex and Complex Task-Oriented Communication: An Empirical Study of Instant Messaging. Computers in Human Behavior, 26, 889-895. McKenna, K. Y., Bargh, J. A. (2004, July 11). The Internet and Social Life. Annual Review, 55(57), 573-590. doi: 10.1146Rezabek, L. L., & Cochenour, J. J. (1998, Fall). Visual Cues in Computer- Mediated Communication: Supplementing Text With Emoticons. Journal of Visual Literacy, 18(2), 201-215. U.S. Teen Mobile Report: Calling Yesterday, Texting Today, Using Apps Tomorrow. (2010, October 14). In Nielsen Wire. Retrieved April 9, 2012Walther, J. B., & D’Addario, K. P. (2001, Fall). The Impacts of Emoticons on Message Interpretation in Computer-Mediated Communication. Social Science Computer Review, 19(3), 324-347. doi: 10.1177/089443930101900307.
AcknowledgementsWe would like to thank our faculty advisor, Dr. Dawn Blasko, for her continued support and guidance throughout the duration of the study. We would also like to thank Dr. Robert Light, the senior associate dean of the Penn State Behrend Research Office, for supporting this study with a research grant.
Electronic Communication
•87% of teens engage in some form of electronic communication (Pew Internet Project, 2008)
•43% of teenagers now say texting is the number one reason they get a cell phone (Nielson, 2010)
•Voice usage has decreased by 14% among teens and is decreasing in all age groups under 55 (Nielson, 2010)
Previous Research
•Scott Fahlman creates the “emoticon” in 1981 (Brittain, 1995)
•In chats some non-verbal information is not transferred fully (McKenna & Bargh, 2000).
•Emoticons support written communication much like non-verbal cues and prosody (Rezabek & Cochenour, 1998)
•Emoticons affect emotions felt in receiver (Luor, Wu, Lu & Tao, 2010)
Research Questions
•Who uses emoticons and how are they used?
•How do emoticons affect a person’s mood?
•How do emoticons influence a person’s opinion of a topic?
•How do emoticons influence a person’s perception of their conversation partner?
•Can emoticons in a received message affect their chat partner’s response?
There was a significant interaction found between emoticon use and the Big Five trait, Agreeableness, F (3, 73) = 2.94, p = .04. This shows that participants rated their chat partner highest on agreeableness when they received a positive emoticon.
Chat variable analysis: Displays the frequencies of coded variables from the chat analysis based on the emoticon each participant was assigned.
Perceived Personality Rating X Emoticon Type Analysis of Participant Responses
Participants
•IRB Approval
•77 Participants
• 35 Males, 42 Females• 18-39 years old, M=19 years old
•Research Participation Pool• Penn State Behrend, Erie, PA• SONA System
•Ethical Guidelines with Informed Consent
Materials
•Participant Questionnaire• Demographics• Use of CMC • Mood• Opinion of Behrend as Dry Campus
•Big Five Personality Questionnaire (Saucier, 1994)
•Perception Questionnaire • Post Mood• Post Opinion of Behrend of Dry
Campus• Likeability of Chat Partner• Enjoyment of Conversation• Persuasiveness of Partner• Personal use of emoticons
Procedure
Pre/Post Mood Ratings X Emoticon Type
There was a significant interaction of pre/post mood rating and emoticon type, F (3,73) = 2.86, p = .04. Post-hoc tests found that a person’s mood rating increases when no emoticon is used, t (17) = 2.27, p = 0.04. This shows that our hypothesis was incorrect, and that emoticon use does change a person’s mood.
Sex X Pre/Post Opinion X Emoticon Type
There were no main effect of sex, opinion, or emoticon type found. However there was a significant interaction of opinion and sex, F (1,69) = 4.03, p = .05.
