Nonverbal Communication: The World Trends and Cultural Differences Behind Emoji Usage

Authors

  • Zixin Xu

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54097/wh0dd486

Keywords:

Nonverbal communication; Emoji interpretation; Emoji usage trends; cross-cultural differences.

Abstract

In the digital era, Emojis have emerged as a critical component of online communication, transcending linguistic barriers while introducing new challenges in cross-cultural conversations. This paper explores the complex ways in which cultural backgrounds influence the selection and interpretation of Emojis, providing a nuanced understanding of digital nonverbal communication. By using a comparative analysis between Eastern and Western usage of popular Emojis, the research highlights significant cultural discrepancies. The study traces Emoji popularity trends from 2019 to 2021, a period notably affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, which catalyzed the global shift towards online interaction and promoted the usage of specific Emojis related to work, empathy, and emotional connection. Through a sociolinguistic lens, this study illuminates the role of Emojis as a modern pictographic language that encapsulates the inherent diversity of cultural emotion, nuance, and global digital communication. The paper's findings highlight the need to increase cultural awareness of Emoji interpretation and application to reduce misunderstandings in the increasingly connected world.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Gitnux Organisation. Emoji Usage Statistics. 2023. Retrieved from: https://gitnux.org/emoji-usage-statistics/

Daniel J. The Most Frequently Used Emoji of 2021.The Unicode Emoji Mirror Project, 2021. Retrieved from https://home.unicode.org/emoji/emoji-frequency

Fernández-Rovira C, Giraldo-Luque S. Evolution of the Digital Attention Market in the Pandemic: A Comparative Study of Young Spanish University Students (2019–2021). Sustainability, 2021, 13(21): 1-14.

Sexton B J, Adair C. K, Proulx J, Profit J, Cui X, Bae J, Frankel A. Emotional Exhaustion Among US Health Care Workers Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic, 2019-2021. JAMA Network Open, 2022, 5(9): 1-11.

Zappavigna M, Logi L. Emoji in social media discourse about working from home. ScienceDirect, 2021, Volume 44.

Yokoi T, Jordan J. Using Emojis to Connect with Your Team. Harvard Business Review, 2022, 5.

Forsey C. How the Pandemic Changed Social Media: 6 Quarantine Trends Here to Stay. HubSpot, 2022.

Guntuku C S, Li M, Tay L, Ungar H L. Studying Cultural Differences in Emoji Usage across the East and the West. Proceedings of the Thirteenth International AAAI Conference on Web and Social Media, 2019: 226-235.

Lim N. Cultural differences in emotion: differences in emotional arousal level between the East and the West. ScienceDirect, 2016, 5: 105-109.

McKinley E. Emoji 101. Symboplanet, 2023. Retrieved from https://symbolplanet.com/

Downloads

Published

28-09-2024

How to Cite

Xu, Z. (2024). Nonverbal Communication: The World Trends and Cultural Differences Behind Emoji Usage . Journal of Education, Humanities and Social Sciences, 38, 44-48. https://doi.org/10.54097/wh0dd486