表情符號對溝通的效果

Abstract

近年來，表情符號的研究是電腦中介溝通(Computer-mediated communication，CMC)研究中的新主題，目前此領域的實證型研究並不多，且多數集中在探討表情符號對網際網路中訊息解讀的影響，本研究的目的為探討表情符號對溝通雙方理解程度與使用者認知幫助程度的影響，同時為了瞭解表情符號在不同社會背景條件中的效果，本研究整合了面對面溝通(Face-to-face communication)情境中影響情緒表達的兩項社會背景（Social-context）因子-人際關係(Personal relationship)與互動目的(Purpose of interaction)做為調節變數（Moderator），以檢視社會背景如何調節表情符號對溝通雙方理解正確度及溝通過程中的認知幫助度的影響，本研究突破過去表情符號研究的限制，透過真實的線上互動實驗來驗證本實驗模型，參與實驗的受測者被予以配對並在時間內透過即時通訊系統完成所指定的討論主題，在完成討論後填答相關問卷，本實驗透過變異數分析幫助我們得到問題的答案，實驗結果顯示表情符號的使用在任務導向情境（Task-oriented context）中能達到顯著提升溝通雙方理解程度的效用，同時在大多數的情境中皆顯示表情符號能確實提升溝通者的認知幫助程度。總結來說，本研究以實驗證實了表情符號不僅能提升溝通者在電腦中介溝通中的認知幫助度，在任務導向的電腦中介溝通中，表情符號實質上地提升溝通雙方理解程度，提供一個能輕易地表達情緒並提升資訊豐富度(Information richness)的機會，最後我們依據此結果提出改善組織中電腦中介溝通的方向與建議。

The use of emoticons is a new topic in the field of Computer-mediated communication (CMC). There are not much empirical studies in this field, as previous studies on emoticons mostly focused on its effects on online message interpretation. The present study integrates two social-context factors that are keys to emotions expression in face-to-face communication – personal relationship and purpose of interaction, to further examine emoticons’ utility on the accuracy of understanding and the communicators’ perception of helpfulness through real-life on-line interactions. We conducted an experiment which paired participants off to engage in on-line discussions on assigned topics. Our empirical results show that participants with availability of emoticons had better accuracy of understanding in task-oriented communication. At the same time, with emoticons communicators’ perceived helpfulness during CMC was better in most conditions. To conclude, emoticons give a chance for communicators to express handily and enrich information richness in task-oriented contexts, and its’ worth in CMC is proved in this research.