Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the role of emoticons in text messaging on mobile phone. Results from a sample of 126 college students in Korea showed that motivations of emoticons use were entertainment, fashion, expressing personal emotions/intimacy, managing message meaning, and regulating conversation. These findings indicated that emoticons use was highly related to socioemotional context in mobile communication. Furthermore, the study found that there were gender differences in motivations of emoticons use: female students were more likely to use emoticons to express emotions/intimacy and manage message meaning than male students. Based on these findings the study suggested that emoticons played a role as a facilitator that supplements users’ emotion and interpretation of message.