Perceptions Of Mobile Instant Messaging Apps Are Comparable To Texting For Young Adults In The United States

Abstract

In recent years, text messaging ("texting") has become the dominant method of communication for young adults. This prevalence of texting has led to research exploring the beneficial and detrimental behaviors associated with texting, indicating wide-ranging social and human factors implications. As texting continues to take precedence over other forms of communication and research begins to address texting behaviors, the question arises about whether people use other mobile instant messaging applications ("IM apps") similarly. The current study expands on the research of texting behaviors by asking how similarly young adults view apps (e.g., WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, etc.) to texting. Results indicated that young adults in the United States use texting more frequently than text-based apps, but that these apps are viewed similarly to texting. The implication is that research addressing texting behaviors may apply to other forms of text-based communication; however, texting remains the most prominent mode of communication, justifying its own continued examination.

Publication Date

1-1-2016

Publication Title

Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society

Number of Pages

1234-1238

Document Type

Article; Proceedings Paper

Personal Identifier

scopus

DOI Link

https://doi.org/10.1177/1541931213601288

Socpus ID

85008450415 (Scopus)

Source API URL

https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/85008450415

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