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Emojis’ Psychophysics: Measuring Emotions in Technology Enhanced Learning Contexts

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Methodologies and Intelligent Systems for Technology Enhanced Learning, 8th International Conference (MIS4TEL 2018)

Part of the book series: Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing ((AISC,volume 804))

Abstract

Emojis are pictorial representations of human facial expressions which are becoming particularly popular in computer-mediated communication. Within text-based messages, they function as surrogates of real nonverbal elements to convey emotional meanings, but in absence of a verbal label they can result ambiguous. In addition, a quantification of how much positive and/or negative valence is expressed by different emojis is still missing. We asked to 110 adults to evaluate 81 emojis on two scales, relating to positive and negative valence. Through Rasch models, we quantified the amount of positive and negative valence expressed by each emoji, deleting those emojis that were not scalable on the considered dimensions. This study is a preliminary step for the development of a set of scales formed by emojis representing discrete emotions, to be used in a variety of ways in psychological research as well as in technological learning contexts or for product evaluation purposes.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Human Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy

    Roberto Burro, Margherita Pasini & Daniela Raccanello

Authors
  1. Roberto Burro
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  2. Margherita Pasini
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  3. Daniela Raccanello
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Daniela Raccanello .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Information Engineering, Computer Science and Mathematics, University of L’Aquila, L’Aquila, Italy

    Tania Di Mascio

  2. Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L’Aquila, L’Aquila, Italy

    Pierpaolo Vittorini

  3. Computer Science Faculty, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Bolzano, Italy

    Rosella Gennari

  4. BISITE Digital Innovation Hub, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain

    Fernando De la Prieta

  5. BISITE Digital Innovation Hub, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain

    Sara Rodríguez

  6. Dipartimento di Ingegneria Informatica, Sapienza Università di Roma, Rome, Italy

    Marco Temperini

  7. Department of Computer Science and Statistics, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil

    Ricardo Azambuja Silveira

  8. Faculty of Automation Computers and Electronics Computers and Information Technology Department, University of Craiova, Craiova, Romania

    Elvira Popescu

  9. Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L’Aquila, Coppito, Holy See (Vatican City State)

    Loreto Lancia

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Burro, R., Pasini, M., Raccanello, D. (2019). Emojis’ Psychophysics: Measuring Emotions in Technology Enhanced Learning Contexts. In: Di Mascio, T., et al. Methodologies and Intelligent Systems for Technology Enhanced Learning, 8th International Conference. MIS4TEL 2018. Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing, vol 804. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-98872-6_9

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