Exploring and Understanding Participants’ Perceptions of Facial Emoji Likert Scales in Online Surveys

Abstract

The present study aims to explore participants’ experiences in interacting with a facial emoji Likert scale in online surveys to understand their perceptions, interpretations, and opinions of emojis in online surveys. A qualitative research approach has been adopted. This article contributes to the existing body of knowledge on emojis and online survey questionnaires by presenting a detailed exploratory qualitative study of 42 participants’ insights, perceptions, and interpretations of the facial emoji Likert scale in a specific context (i.e., a course evaluation survey). The data analysis reveals seven categories that emerged from the transcribed interviews and the interviewers’ written notes from the cognitive interviews regarding participants’ perceptions of interacting with the facial emoji–based Likert scale.