How might social presence theory explain the use of emoticons and emoji in emails and SMS messages?
A) They reduce uncertainty in communication.
B) They are a surrogate for facial expressions and body language missing from written communication.
C) They are currently considered to be the fastest growing language.
D) They increase the speed of feedback in email communication.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Emoji and emoticons are pictorial representations of facial expressions, and as such can be seen to increase the social presence of the sender of a message that is otherwise missing when writing just words. This may reduce equivocality in communication, but not uncertainty.

How Might Social Presence Theory Explain the Use of Emoticons