Using Emojis: Self-Presentation and Different Meaning Creation Approaches

Abstract

Nowadays visuality is increasing. One of the remarkable developments in 2015 was that the emoji ‘ 😂 ’, the smiley with tears of happiness- was chosen the “word of the year” although it was just a pictogram, not even a word. This situation clearly shows that there is an increasing demand for new visual forms of writing. Emojis allow people from different language and culture backgrounds to communicate more effectively and initiate interactions when it is needed. It is believed that emoji codes might function like a universal language that is likely to solve potential misunderstandings experienced in intercultural communication. In one way it might be considered a sort of development in technology, or the other it is just a temporary crazy novelty brought by the Internet. This study mainly aims to explain the dimensions and importance of the emojis’ usage. This qualitative study uses semi-structured in-depth interview technique . People tend to employ a sort of expressive use through “emotion laborer” emojis while presenting themselves. Emojis are traces of the transition from instrumentalism to expressionism.