Texting is family glue for the 21st century
Recent research from the University of Kansas looks at the way technological advancements influence interpersonal communication, with a focus on familial relationships. The study tested whether the number of media used by families to interact with each other altered the way they related. Nic Denholm, a marketing consultant, reports on TechCrunch:
Researchers asked 367 adults between the ages of 18 and 29 about the types of communication they used to stay in touch with their parents, how regularly they communicated, and how satisfied they were with the relationship.
The young adults reported using a wide range of communication tools to stay in touch with mom and dad. Alongside the landlines and cell phone calls, a surprisingly diverse array of methods are used for intergenerational communication, including Snapchat, online gaming networks, video calls, instant messaging – and of course texting. On average, participants used one of three methods of communication when talking to parents.
Researchers found a positive change in relationship satisfaction as more forms of communication were used. Youngsters only using one method of communication – irrespective of what that method was – were found to experience less relationship satisfaction than their peers who used three or four methods.
