Titre du document / Document title

A generational approach to using emoticons as nonverbal communication

Auteur(s) / Author(s)

KROHN Franklin B. ⁽¹⁾ ;

Affiliation(s) du ou des auteurs / Author(s) Affiliation(s)

⁽¹⁾ State University of New York at Fredonia, ETATS-UNIS

Résumé / Abstract

The purpose of this article is to help determine whether the use of emoticons in computer mediated communication (CMC) are truly nonverbal cues. A review of the literature revealed that the traditional nonverbal theorists failed to predict the future employment of nonverbal cues in electronic CMC. A variety of emoticons are then described including the traditional happy face and sad face, numerous variations of faces employing keyboard keys, a number of abbreviations commonly in use, and FLAMING. Inasmuch as emoticons are presently in widespread though informal use, the problem of how and what business communication instructors should teach about emoticons is discussed. The conclusion reached is that of a generational recipient determinism. It is recommended that recipients who are Traditionalists (born before 1946) should not be sent e-mail with emoticons; those who are Baby Boomers (those born between 1946 and 1964) probably should not be sent e-mail with emoticons; those who are Generation Xers (those born between 1964 and 1980) may be sent e-mail with some of the more common emoticons; and those who are termed Millenials (born after 1980 and coming of age after 2000) may be sent e-mail with generous use of emoticons.

Revue / Journal Title

Journal of technical writing and communication   ISSN 0047-2816   CODEN JTWCAA 

Source / Source

2004, vol. 34, n^o4, pp. 321-328 [8 page(s) (article)] (19 ref.)

Langue / Language

Anglais

Editeur / Publisher

Baywood, Amityville, NY, ETATS-UNIS  (1971) (Revue)

Mots-clés anglais / English Keywords

Professional communication ; Icon ; Generation ; Information use ; Non verbal communication ; Internet ; Electronic mail ; Computer mediated communication ;

Mots-clés français / French Keywords

Communication professionnelle ; Icône ; Smiley ; Emoticône ; Génération ; Utilisation information ; Communication non verbale ; Internet ; Courriel ; Communication médiatisée ordinateur ;

Mots-clés espagnols / Spanish Keywords

Generación ; Uso información ; Comunicación no verbal ; Internet ; Correo electrónico ; Communicación mediatizada computador ;

Localisation / Location

INIST-CNRS, Cote INIST : 17098, 35400012259835.0040