Penggunaan Emoji dalam Komunikasi melalui WhatsApp oleh Teman Tuli di ‎Yayasan Khadijah Sharaswaty Indonesia‎

Abstract

The research was about digital communication but the researcher focused on the use of emoji in WhatsApp interactions, aimed at identifying the frequency, types, and functions of emoji as used by the deaf community. Emoji are visual symbols that represent emotions, gestures, and ideas, and are often employed to enrich meaning in text-based communication. In this study, the object of the research was the WhatsApp communication of members of Yayasan Khadijah Sharaswaty Indonesia (KSI), with the main purpose of exploring how emoji serve as visual tools that support everyday interaction among deaf participants. The research applied a descriptive quantitative approach, using questionnaires distributed to 56 respondents. Two measurement scales were used: a frequency scale (never, seldom, often, always) and a Likert scale (strongly disagree, disagree, agree, strongly agree). Descriptive statistics were applied to analyze the data and provide an overview of patterns in emoji usage. The results show that most respondents reported using emoji either “often” or “seldom,” with only a few indicating “never.” In terms of types, facial expression emoji were the most dominant, followed by heart symbols, hand or gesture emoji, object-based emoji, and those with variations of skin tone or gender. Regarding function, respondents agreed that emoji help express emotions, clarify message intent, shorten explanations, replace words, give quick reactions, and create a friendlier atmosphere in communication. The findings confirm the relevance of Computer Mediated Communication, Social Information Processing, Social Presence, and Affordances theory, and highlight emoji as a vital visual bridge in digital communication among the deaf community.