New research looks at the difference between boys and girls in texting habits. The study explores teenager’s use of text, language differences between sexes and overall gender identity.
Do note that the data gathering happened a while ago and as the tools sometimes shift fast the focus is luckily on language.
From the press release:
The authors conducted 9 focus groups of 12-18 year olds across 4 US cities to broadly investigate teen communications via mobiles. How do teens use them to negotiate the choppy waters of “flirt, hook-up and break-up”? Gender segregated groups completed questionnaires on issues of phone ownership, parental interaction and girl/boy communications. Interestingly, historical differences in use of language in males and females were shown to resonate in girls and boys texting styles. Boys view phones as a status symbol to perform a basic function; they are direct and rapid in their conversations, make their arrangements and go. One boy noted that to be texting another “dude” was not okay, implying that long text conversations are for girls only. Another boy claimed that girls’ texts were “just BS.” Girls undeniably like to chat, socialise and enhance their conversations with smiley faces etc. and clearly see texting as a way of building and maintaining friendships. Intriguingly male participants acknowledge that when texting girls, they “play the game.” In other words boys step outside their usual style and use more emotive text to please girls and to avoid hurt feelings or misinterpretations.
12-17 year olds send or receive an average of 60 texts per day. Texting is a significant communication channel for teens and, the authors note an important area for study of gender identity and cross gender interaction. Boys seek social acceptance from girls using text and the ability to edit the conversation in private undoubtedly makes it easier. On the other hand, potential for misunderstanding and disagreement is high. The study showed that texting seems not to challenge traditional gender identities but the authors conclude “It is in these texts, the teens are working out their notions of gender and how to interact with people of the opposite gender.” It appears if we are to understand our teenagers, we need to acknowledge the pivotal importance of texting in the social life of a teen.
Abstract of the research:
This article examines the strategies used by teenagers for interacting with members of the opposite sex when texting. This article uses material from a series of nine focus groups from 2009 in four US cities. It reports on the strategies they use and the problems they encounter as they negotiate this portion of their lives. Texting is a direct, person-to-person venue where they can develop their gendered identity and also investigate romantic interaction. In this activity, both genders show the ability to make fine-grained interpretations of texts, often interpreting the meaning of punctuation and other paralinguistic devices. In addition, they use texts to characterize the opposite sex. Teen boys’ texts are seen as short and perhaps brisk when viewed by girls. Boys see teen girls’ texts as being overly long, prying and containing unneeded elements. The discussion of these practices shows how teens engage in their sense of gender.