Role
Researcher
Team
6 Researchers
Dr. Susan Fussell
Timeline
Jan 2024 - May2025
Skills/Tools
Figma, Interaction design,
User testing, User research,
Research protocol,
Human-agent interaction,
In-lab experiments
Emojis play a prevalent role in how we communicate through virtual means. We are curious to see if gender and background influence the most frequently used emojis of our participants, and how they justify the use or need for those emojis.
Participants were asked to interpret various emojis in different contexts, providing insight into the shared meanings and associations within Generation Z.
Emoji Interpretation
Exercise
Participants described their daily emoji usage, including the frequency of use and the context in which they use specific emojis.
Emoji Usage
1
2
Emoji Interpretations Across Demographics
UX Research
Research Design
User Survey
What demographic factors influence emoji usage?
In the digital age, emojis have emerged as a powerful tool for expression, often replacing or enhancing written language.
We investigated emoji usage patterns among Generation Z, focusing on their frequency, interpretation, and the broader social implications of this new digital "language."
Our study aims to explore how specific emojis are utilized and understood within this demographic, with an emphasis on how they foster efficient communication and shared cultural meaning.
Research Objective
The primary objective of this study was to analyze how Generation Z uses and interprets emojis across various contexts, with particular attention to the influence of demographic factors such as gender and race.
We hypothesized...
that Generation Z would demonstrate unique interpretations and a shared understanding of specific emojis, streamlining digital communication.
Methodology
The research was conducted using a within-subjects design. Participants completed a digital survey designed to assess their emoji usage patterns and interpretations across different scenarios. The survey was divided into two main sections:
Participants
The study involved 31 Cornell University students aged 17-22, recruited via Sona Systems.
Tools and Equipment
We utilized Qualtrics, an online survey platform, to gather responses.
So, what did we found out?
We had two categories of takeaways.
😭
👁️👄👁️
🧍
😼
Patterns in emoji usage across demographics
1
Gender-Based Differences
Females are more likely to use face emojis, such as 😊 and 😭, to express emotions.
Males are more likely to use symbol-based emojis, such as 🔥 and 💪.
The overall frequency of emoji use was higher among female participants (81.05%) than male participants (61.88%).
Context-Dependent Emoji Usage
The context of the message strongly influenced emoji choices. For instance, in an exercise where respondents had to cancel plans with a friend, participants used a variety of emojis to soften the negative message.
Commonly used emojis included 😭 (crying), 🫣 (embarrassed), and 🥺 (pleading face), which helped convey an apologetic or empathetic tone.
Many respondents relied on the familiar 😭 emoji.
There was significant diversity in emoji choice, highlighting the flexibility of these symbols to convey multiple layers of meaning.
Patterns in emoji interpretation across demographics.
2
Cross-Demographic Consistency
Despite gender differences in usage, emoji interpretations were relatively consistent across demographic lines.
The emoji 😭 was commonly interpreted as both "crying from sadness" and "laughing to the point of tears."
Other emojis also showed similar cross-demographic interpretations. For instance, the "👁️👄👁️" emoji was interpreted by about 60% of respondents as expressing shock or surprise.
These shared interpretations suggest that Generation Z has developed a cohesive understanding of emoji meanings that transcend individual differences in gender or race.
Non-Literal Emoji Combinations
A significant pattern across all surveyed demographics was the frequent use of non-literal emoji combinations, often with highly specific and culturally ingrained meanings.
The combination of “🚩🚩🏃♀️” was widely interpreted as indicating "red flags" in a relationship or situation, even though the individual emojis themselves (a red flag and a running person) have no direct connection to relationships.
Similarly, the combination of “💃🏻✨💅” was frequently interpreted as meaning “slay” or “slaying,” a slang term for performing exceptionally well or impressing others.
What do our findings indicate?
Generation Z has developed a shared cultural understanding of emojis, which facilitates quick and clear communication within their peer groups. Emojis serve not just as expressions of emotion but also as symbols of deeper, context-specific meanings. This reflects the role of emojis in creating an "in-group" language that is accessible to those familiar with their nuances, especially within Generation Z.
This isn’t without limitations, though
The study’s limitations include the small, homogenous sample size and the focus on university students from a single institution. These factors limit the generalizability of the findings. Future research should explore emoji usage across broader age ranges, ethnic backgrounds, and geographical locations to capture a more complete picture.
For future emoji research
To build upon our findings, future studies could examine how emoji interpretations evolve across different generations or analyze the role of emojis in cross-cultural digital interactions. Expanding the demographic diversity of participants and increasing the sample size would offer a more comprehensive understanding of emoji usage patterns.
To summarize,
Gender Differences: Females used more emotive face-based emojis, while males favored abstract or symbol-based emojis.
Consistent Interpretations: Generation Z participants largely shared interpretations of commonly used emojis like “😭” and “👁️👄👁️,” indicating a strong intra-generational cultural understanding.
Creative Emoji Combinations: Respondents frequently used emoji combinations in non-literal ways, constructing new meanings that reflect shared cultural references within their social groups.
Made with a cat by my side ⋆˚✿˖₍^. ̫.^₎ @ 2024