The moderating roles of self-construal and social anxiety in the association between attitude towards emojis and their frequency of usage

Fanny Rizkiyani (Doctoral Program in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung, Indonesia Department of Early Childhood Teacher Education, Faculty of Teacher Training and Educational Sciences, Universitas Islam Nusantara, Bandung)
Wilis Srisayekti (Doctoral Program in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung)
Efi Fitriana (Doctoral Program in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung)
Asteria Devy Kumalasari (Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung)
Anna Lucia Spear King (Institute of Psychiatry of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (the Delete Laboratory), Rio de Janeiro)

Psikohumaniora: Jurnal Penelitian Psikologi
Vol. 11 No. 1 (2026)

Emojis are popular features in WhatsApp messaging. However, individual differences, such as social anxiety and self-construal, may influence emoji usage patterns. This cross-sectional study examines the relationship between attitudes toward emojis and their frequency of use, and the moderating effects of self-construal and social anxiety on this relationship among Indonesian undergraduate WhatsApp users. We recruited a convenience sample of 364 participants aged 18 to 24 (M-age = 21.12, SD = 1.48). The multiple linear hierarchical regression analysis results indicated that attitude towards emojis was a unique positive predictor of usage frequency (B = 0.16, t = 3.91, p < .001), accounting for 4% of the variance in such frequency (∆R2 = .04, Cohen’s f2 = .05). Neither self-construal orientations nor social anxiety moderated the relationship. Notably, independent self-construal emerged as a direct predictor of emoji usage frequency (B = 0.10, p = .043, ∆R² = .01, Cohen’s f2 = .01). The findings may reflect independent self-construal as perceived behavioral control within the theory of planned behavior (TPB) framework. They also highlight the importance of considering individual differences in digital communication behaviors among Indonesian youth.