• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.16 no.10
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• pp.311-325
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• 2016

The communication via MIM(Mobile Instant Messenger) has unique characteristics; one of them is use of emoticons. Although using emoticons in MIM is getting a lot of attention from business fields and emoticons markets in MIM is growing rapidly, there are little researches focused on emoticons in MIM in consumer behaviors and marketing area. So, the purpose of this study is to fill this theoretical and practical gap. For this purpose, we explore the effect of and trust in MIM system and attitude toward use of emoticons on purchase intention to emotions in MIM. Our study used structural equation modeling analysis; the results showed that perceived benefits and perceived risk to MIM affected trust in MIM system significantly, more specifically, while perceived benefits affected trust in MIM system positively, perceived risk affected trust in MIM system negatively. We also found that perceived usefulness of emoticon in MIM and flow experience influenced attitude toward use of emoticons positively. Lastly, trust in MIM system and attitude toward use of emoticons had positive effect on purchase intention to emoticons in MIM. The implication and limitations of this study are also discussed.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.35-52
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• 2016

The purpose of this study was to compare college students' emoticon use for positive behavior and to analyze the impact of the factors. This study is consisted of 66 questions based on Social demographic characteristics, personality characteristics factors and both scales of emotional expression. The operational test was administered to 340 college students. In an effort to calibrate emoticon use of positive behavior, the results displayed significance differences depending on the gender and grade of the students. Women used more emoticons than men, and freshman used more emoticons than any other year of students. Women used more emoticons such as texts, images, and flash more than men. Students in their freshman year were shown to use more emoticons than students in other grade levels. Emotional expression was strongly related man with personality traits of integrity. Personality traits of sensitivity, openness, intimacy, and sincerity had a significant influence on the emotional expression. An emoticon is, therefore, be a useful tool to express their emotions. Male and female students with higher levels of congeniality had expressed more emotions that were self-defence ambivalent and concerned-relation ambivalent. However, in the case of the female students, those with higher levels of self-defence ambivalent emotional expressiveness had a lower usage of positive emoticons, while male students with higher levels of self-defence emotional expressiveness used more positive emoticons. Higher levels of congeniality among groups that use mobile emoticons with their parents, whether the frequency of use was high or low, were associated with higher levels of self-defence ambivalence and concerned-relation ambivalence. Those with higher levels of sincerity had low levels of self-defence ambivalence and concerned-relation ambivalence, and those with higher levels of concerned-relation ambivalence had higher levels of positive emoticon usage.

• Management & Information Systems Review
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.27-44
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• 2016

In recent year, graphic emoticons in MIM(Mobile Instant Messenger) play an important role not as a valuable communication methods, but as main business model for MIM service providers. Although the graphic emoticons in MIM are regarded as a commercial product, there has been little systematic research reflecting consumers' perspectives. In order to fill this theoretical and practice gap, the study is designed to explore the structural relationships among emoticon use motives, attitude, and purchasing intention to emoticons in context of MIM. The results showed that emoticon use motives in MIM were composed of two main factors, perceived usefulness and perceived enjoyment. And we also verified that both perceived usefulness and perceived enjoyment positively impact flow in communication with using emoticons and social influence. Lastly, flow and social influence were positively related to attitude toward using emoticons and attitude also was related to purchase intention to emoticons in MIM, positively. However, flow and social influence did not have a positive influence on purchase intention to emoticons directly. The implications and limitations of this study are also discussed.

• Journal of Digital Contents Society
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.231-238
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• 2017

Today, as a means of online communication, the use of emoticons is activated in SNS. Emoticon is an important element to share impact effects and fun together with various content design attempts. In this paper, we analyze the expression patterns changed through development process of emoticons, and analyze characteristics and effects of emoticons which are combined with traditional culture among the types of emoticons currently used.

• Knowledge Management Research
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.101-118
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• 2020

The usage of emoticons used in the online environment continues to increase, and also the market for emoticons is growing rapidly. Emoticons go beyond simply conveying the meaning of a message and play various roles such as smooth communication, pursuit of fun, and intimacy. In this study, we first identify the factors that motivate users to use emoticons in an online messenger service, and then determine whether the derived factors have a significant effect on emoticon usage. Furthermore, based on Regulatory Focus Theory, we will distinguish between the group of promotion focus and the group of prevention focus to see how the influence of motives on emoticon usage differs.

• Journal of Korea Society of Digital Industry and Information Management
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.183-192
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• 2010

Digital communities' spaces have been very popular through communication contents provide entertainment and usability. Emoticons provide simply emotional expressions and intension, so they weakly convey a realistic sense as they are designed by 2D graphics. However, 3D Avatars presented by 3D Computer Graphics make users interesting because of delivering senses of reality and three-dimension and amuse users because of representing their characters. It is the purpose of this study to analyze design examples of emoticons and avatars applying to personal messengers and propose the development of them. In addition, this paper researches various characteristics of emoticons and avatars for web and mobile phones, and suggests a strategy to usefully and properly apply emoticons and avatars to design.

• Journal of Digital Contents Society
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• v.19 no.9
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• pp.1641-1652
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• 2018

In this study, a design of emoticons based on sex was studied through Kansai engineering method. First, we developed emoticon prototypes according to a design guideline derived from existing related literatures. Then, the design guidelines was updated from the survey results on the properties of emoticon, and the two sets of modified emoticons were developed from them. Another survey was executed to evaluate the degree of emotional expressions on the three types of emoticons developed in this way. A small number of emoticons were found to be designed fulling the researcher's intention. However, in many other emoticons, it was difficult to find a consistent characteristics. Even though it was observed through detailed analysis that one of the main causes of this result was lack of detail in the design guidelines, the results of this study are expected to be used as basic data for the development and application of character - type emoticons suitable for male and female users' emotional expressions in future researches.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.73-86
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• 2023

This study compared the characteristics of scientific emoticons made by general and science-gifted elementary students. To do this, fifth graders (n=53) at a general elementary school in Gyeonggi province and fifth graders (n=35) at a gifted science education institute in Seoul were selected. Scientific emoticons written by the students were compared according to the number and types. Analysis of the results reveal that the science-gifted students made more scientific emoticons than the general students for thirty minutes. In the comparison of the types of scientific emoticons, there were some similarities and significant differences between general students and science-gifted students. Overall, however, it was found that science-gifted students made more various types of scientific emoticons than general students in 'form' aspects (e.g., generative form of text, descriptive form of text, and expressive form of image) and 'information' aspects (e.g., emotion, construction level, excess of curriculum level, scientific disciplines, and use of scientific knowledge) of the texts and the images in the scientific emoticons. The scientific emoticons made by general and science-gifted elementary students included very few misconceptions. Educational implications of these findings are discussed.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.311-324
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• 2022

This study analyzed the types of scientific emoticons made by science-gifted elementary school students and their perceptions on making scientific emoticons. To do this, 71 students from 4th to 6th graders of two gifted science education center in Seoul were selected. Scientific emoticons made by the students were analyzed according to the number and types. Their perceptions on making scientific emoticons were also analyzed through a questionnaire and group interviews. In the analyses for types of text in the scientific emoticons, 'word type' and 'sentence type' were made more than 'question and answer type'. And the majority of students made more 'pun using pronunciation type' and 'mixed type' than other types. They also made more 'graphic type' and 'animation type' than 'text type' in the images of the scientific emoticons. In the analyses for the information of the scientific emoticons, 'positive emotion type' and 'negative emotion type' of scientific emoticons were made evenly. The students made more 'new creation type' than 'partial correction type' and 'entire reconstruction type'. They also used scientific knowledge that preceded the knowledge of science curriculum in their grade level. The scientific knowledge of chemistry was used more than physics, biology, earth science, and combination field. 'Name utilization type' was more than 'characteristic utilization type' and 'principle utilization type'. Students had various positive perceptions in making scientific emoticons such as 'increase of scientific knowledge', 'increase of various higher-order thinking abilities', 'ease of explanation, use, memory, and understanding of scientific knowledge', 'increase of fun, enjoyment, and interest about science and science learning', and 'increase of opportunity to express emotions'. They were also aware of some limitations related to 'difficulties in the process of making scientific emoticons', 'lack of time', and 'limit that it may end just for fun'. Educational implications of these findings are discussed.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.138-146
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• 2019

The purpose of this study is to investigate the characteristics of usage motivation of SNS emoticons in Northeast Asian culture regions, with the strong influence of normative society and to interpret these characteristics based on traditional humanistic thought. Since the mainstream SNS of each country is different, this study focused on China's WeChat. For the research, we found 38 motivations for the use of emoticons through literature research and interviews with 21 users, and we surveyed 209 participants for usage motivation. The results were as follows: First, six factors were derived from the motivation for use of emoticons, these factors were named emotional expressions, aesthetics, usability, impression management, entertainment, and sense of collectivism. Second, we explained how the ideas of 'Hwa(和)' and 'Ye(禮)' appeared in the use of emoticons, focusing on 'Impression management' and 'Sense of collectivism' among the motives of using emoticons. Hwa(和) is interpreted as a factor of 'sense of collectivism' which intends to strengthen the feeling of belonging in the chat room using emoticons and actively emphasize oneself and to be well integrated in the communication process. Ye (禮) is interpreted as a factor of 'impression management' which forms and maintains a better relationship with the moral code of ethics.