Student perceptions of teacher emoticon usage: the effect on teacher credibility and liking

Thesis (M.A., Communication Studies)-- California State University, Sacramento, 2013.Prior research suggests that emoticons enhance text-based messages; yet, critics argue that emoticons negatively affect credibility. While research purports that teachers utilize emoticons, they feel uncomfortable doing so (Priddis, 2013). This study focused on better understanding how a user of emoticons is viewed by a recipient by studying the effect the number of emoticons in an email message has on perceptions of credibility and liking. \ud Sources of Data\ud \ud A one way factorial experimental design was utilized in which the number of emoticons were manipulated in an e-mail to be none (zero emoticons), one (one emoticon), few (three emoticons), many (seven emoticons), or very many (twelve emoticons). This study was conducted in two phases: in phase one, an induction check was utilized to ensure that manipulated conditions had the desired effect on participants (N = 323). In phase two, main experiment participants (N = 534) completed measures to assess perceptions of credibility (competence, character, and caring) and liking. \ud Conclusions Reached\ud The hypotheses predicted an inverted u-shaped curvilinear relationship for each outcome variable. Results were largely inconsistent with the hypotheses. For competence, character, and liking, conditions with no, one, and few emoticons equally indicated the most positive perceptions. It made no difference whether emoticons were none, one, or few. Using many emoticons (seven or twelve) indicated equally negative perceptions. With respect to perceived caring as an outcome variable, results revealed an inverted u-shaped curvilinear relationship somewhat consistent with the hypothesis. The condition with no emoticons was rated as moderately positive, few emoticons was most positive, and many emoticons was moderately positive. Findings indicate that emoticons exerted, at best, a small effect on student perceptions.Communication Studie