Emoji identification and emoji effects on sentence emotionality in ASD-diagnosed adults and neurotypical controls

Hand, C. J. , Kennedy, A., Filik, R., Pitchford, M. and Robus, C. M. (2023) Emoji identification and emoji effects on sentence emotionality in ASD-diagnosed adults and neurotypical controls. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 53(6), pp. 2514-2528. (doi: 10.1007/s10803-022-05557-4) (PMID:35415776)

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Abstract

We investigated ASD-diagnosed adults’ and neurotypical (NT) controls’ processing of emoji and emoji influence on the emotionality of otherwise-neutral sentences. Study 1 participants categorised emoji representing the six basic emotions using a fixed-set of emotional adjectives. Results showed that ASD-diagnosed participants’ classifications of fearful, sad, and surprised emoji were more diverse and less ‘typical’ than NT controls’ responses. Study 2 participants read emotionally-neutral sentences; half paired with sentence-final happy emoji, half with sad emoji. Participants rated sentence + emoji stimuli for emotional valence. ASD-diagnosed and NT participants rated sentences + happy emoji as equally-positive, however, ASD-diagnosed participants rated sentences + sad emoji as more-negative than NT participants. We must acknowledge differential perceptions and effects of emoji, and emoji-text inter-relationships, when working with neurodiverse stakeholders.

Item Type:Articles
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Hand, Dr Christopher
Authors: Hand, C. J., Kennedy, A., Filik, R., Pitchford, M., and Robus, C. M.
College/School:College of Social Sciences > School of Education
Journal Name:Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
Publisher:Springer
ISSN:0162-3257
ISSN (Online):1573-3432
Published Online:12 April 2022
Copyright Holders:Copyright © 2022 The Authors
First Published:First published in Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders 53(6): 2514-2528
Publisher Policy:Reproduced under a Creative Commons Licence

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