Complex and Ambiguous: �Understanding Sticker Misinterpretations in Instant Messaging
Yoonjeong Cha ⚬ Jongwon Kim ⚬ Sangkeun Park ⚬ MunYong Yi ⚬ Uichin Lee
Emoji �& �Stickers!
Motivation�
We Use Stickers A Lot!
2 Billion / per month
*Global Monthly Average User (MAU) : 50 million
*
Face to Face Communication�
Albert Mehrabian, Silent Messages, 1971
Gesture
Posture
Eye Contact
Facial Expression
…
7%
38%
55%
Online Communication in Messenger �
:D
(Text Messages)
Motivation�
Motivation�
My Intention :“Come here”
?
Motivation�
My Intention :“Come here”
Other people interpret :“I’m doomed”
Misinterpreted
Motivation�
Do Stickers Convey
Sender’s Meaning Well to Receiver?
Emoticon vs. Emoji vs. Sticker�
Emoticon
Emoticon vs. Emoji vs. Sticker�
Emoji
Emoticon vs. Emoji vs. Sticker�
Sticker
Research Question�
Are stickers misinterpreted?
If so, what factors lead to misinterpretation of stickers?
Related Work�
Role of Instant Messengers
in Everyday Life
Role of Emoticons, Emoji, and Stickers
in CMC
Message Interpretation with Emoticon and Emoji Use
Methodology�
Study 1 : Sticker characteristics that leads to misinterpretation
Study 2 : In Instant Messenger considering contextual factors
Study 1�Interpretation Discrepancy of Popular Stickers
Online Survey on 20 Animated Stickers
(Default & complimentary stickers in KakaoTalk)
Questionnaire�
Participants�
Data Analysis �
Standard Deviation of Emotion Valence (Pleasure) &
Arousal (Activeness) Level
Plot and Group Stickers
(Four group themes with different reasons of misinterpretation)
Findings in Study 1 :�Stickers with High Variance in Valence (Pleasure) Level
“embarrassed that I made a mistake”
“I’m shy”
Ambiguous and multiple facial/bodily expressions
Pleased
Displeased
Findings in Study 1 :�Stickers with High Variance in Arousal (Activeness) Level
“I want to hit you”
“being pissed off”
“pretending to be angry at a joke”
“hatred”
High intensity and dynamism of a character’s gestures
Activated
Deactivated
Findings in Study 1 :�Stickers with Not much Difference in Emotion
“Cheer up”
“Showing off”
Some stickers were interpreted diversely
without much difference in emotion
“I feel proud”
“Good job”
Summary of Study 1�
Sticker characteristics that lead to misinterpretation :
Study 2�Identifying Sticker Misinterpretation in Real-World
Participants�
Interview Procedure�
Submit screenshots of
10 sticker usages & surrounding texts
sent between a pair of participants
(within recent 3 months)
1) Before the Interview
Interview Procedure�
2) During the Interview
Answer Survey Questions
Separately
Interview Procedure�
2) During the Interview
Answer Survey Questions
Semi-structured Interview
Data Analysis�
140 stickers
(10 stickers per pair x 14 pairs)
Answers from
the survey & interviews
Qualitative Content Analysis
(Two Authors categorize matched or mismatched)
Thematic Analysis
(Derive common themes of mismatched stickers)
Matched
Mismatched
Findings in Study 2 : �Match vs. Mismatch
22 % of stickers were misinterpreted
Findings in Study 2 : �Match vs. Mismatch
They were unaware that
they understood the sticker differently
before the interview
Findings in Study 2 : �Two Themes from Mismatched Stickers
Visual Representation and Reference
(n=25)
Message Correspondence
(n=11)
Both
(n=5)
THEME 1
THEME 2
: Sticker’s supporting text is differently interpreted
: Sticker’s face/body expressions are ambiguous
Theme 1 : �Visual representation and reference mismatch
Sender is asking receiver
on Sunday night
Theme 1 : �Visual representation and reference mismatch
“I did not want to bother the receiver. But I was in an urgent situation of having to ask questions.” (P15)
Sender
Is it okay to ask you something?
Sender is asking receiver
on Sunday night
Theme 1 : �Visual representation and reference mismatch
Is it okay to ask you something?
Where are you?
“I did not want to bother the receiver. But I was in an urgent situation of having to ask questions.” (P15)
“I thought there is nothing for the sender to feel sorry about. As his mentor, it is okay for him to ask me anything. I didn’t know he thought like that” (P16)
Sender
Receiver
Sender is asking receiver
on Sunday night
Theme 2 : �Message correspondence mismatch
Sender drank Korean vodka (Maewhasoo) last night
Theme 2 : �Message correspondence mismatch
“I wanted to send text and sticker together. But when I sent text, the receiver replied too fast, so she interrupted my intention of sending the text and the sticker together.” (P17)
Sender
Thinking of the drink makes me feel sick
Sender drank Korean vodka (Maewhasoo) last night
Theme 2 : �Message correspondence mismatch
I don’t like that liquor
“Oh, I did not know that the sender wanted to send text and sticker together. I just thought she sent the sticker as a reply to my message to end the conversation.” (P18)
Receiver
“I wanted to send text and sticker together. But when I sent text, the receiver replied too fast, so she interrupted my intention of sending the text and the sticker together.” (P17)
Sender
Thinking of the drink makes me feel sick
Sender drank Korean vodka (Maewhasoo) last night
Summary of Study 2�
140 stickers
Mismatched
Visual Representation and Reference
Message Correspondence
Two Themes
Summary of Results�
Visual Representation and Reference
Message Correspondence
Study 1 : Interpretation Discrepancy of Popular Stickers
Study 2 : Sticker Misinterpretation Themes in Real-World
Design Implication 1 :�Linking stickers’ supporting texts
Design Implication 2 : �Annotating stickers with texts
Limitation & Future Work�
Cultural
Specificity
Relationship
and Intimacy
Platform and
Group Chatting
Impact of Misinterpretation
Quantify level of misinterpretation on overall conversation breakdown
Consider other platforms such as social media or group chatting setting
Consider diverse relationships and different levels of intimacy
Study conducted in South Korea, which has high-context culture
Take-Home Messages�
Thank you for your attention!
Send any questions or comments to :
yoonjeong.cha@kaist.ac.kr