Effects of exchanging emoticons in mobile text messages on interpersonal emotions

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of exchanging emoticons through mobile \rtext messages on interpersonal emotions. We examined whether reciprocal use of emoticons influ-\rence interpersonal emotions, by using the scenario method. The scenarios used were either usual mail \rexchanges, such as waiting for a friend (Study 1), apologizing, and being accepted by a friend (Study \r2), or being rejected by a friend (Study 3). Results of Studies 1 and 2 indicated that positive emotions \rdecreased and negative emotions increased when an emoticon was not used in response to a sent mes-\rsage with an emoticon, which could be caused by the violation of the reciprocity norm. In Study 3, the \rreciprocity norm had no effect and while positive emotions increased, negative emotions decreased \ras a result of emoticons in messages that were received. These results suggest that reciprocal use of \remoticons is important in cooperative mail exchanges, such as usual communications, and when being \raccepted, but not important in non-cooperative situations, such as being rejected.