Texting

Texting can be defined as the composition and transmission of electronic messages from one person to another. Messages typically consist of numeric characters as well as alphabetic characters. Depending on the technology being used, the sharing element may emerge between two individuals, or even a group. Although text messages are widely exchanged using cellular networks, various social media channels have been developed that promote technological advances. While texting is enjoyed by almost everyone, not many people understand its causes and effects. Specifically, different variables boost texting, as well as many findings correlated with it. Text messages emanate from causes such as reliability and convenience, thereby enhancing adverse intellectual and social effects.

Causes

Reliability and Convenience

In communication, people tend to embrace mediums that enhance immediate feedback. Text messaging arises from the fact that the direct communication involved is easy and reliable. Messages are delivered quite fast, hence allowing the recipient to reply in the shortest possible time. The aspect creates an environment where people can exchange information in the shortest possible time. Thus, texts stand out from the other forms of communication due to their reliability. The other causative aspect of texting is the ability to carry out multiple conversations at once. Group texting allows message senders to pass information to multiple recipients at a go. This aspect saves not only time, but also the costs of sharing messages per person. Another significant cause of texting is the method’s ability to establish and sustain social relationships (Cause and Effect Essay). Due to commitments in the modern society, people can share messages without having to meet. Thus, the bottom line is keeping people connected even in the international spectrum. On a broader perspective, texting is caused by the easy access of smart phones that are tailored to meet the users’ texting needs. For example, phones allow users to key in texts without pressing buttons like in the past. With everyone being able to afford these devices, testing has become an easy task. In this case, the existence of all these convenient factors enables people to embrace texting compared to other modes of communication

Effects

Intellectual Effects

There exist numerous effects of using text messaging. Texting stands out as a mode of communication that interferes with the users’ intellect. Precisely, the use of short forms of words and slang deviates from the conventional rules of written English. The use of phonetic replacements allows people to supplant words such as your with ur, a practice that affects academic performance in the learning environment. Numerous cases have been witnessed where frequent text messengers portray high cases of misspelled words. This aspect is influenced by their overreliance on electronic spell checkers that are programmed in today’s communication gadgets (Vitelli). Texting lacks the creativity that is found in reading print media. As a result, this behavior ends up affecting many people’s communication skills. Precisely, texting is characterized by rigid linguistic constraints that force students to avoid using some words. In this case, tech messaging should be practiced with caution, especially when the texters are students. The focus should be on avoiding the intellectual effect which makes it impossible to employ an appropriate use of other communication practices. Although it is a modern practice that is valued by many, the negative effects should not be ignored.

Psychological Effects

There exist numerous psychological effects associated with texting. For instance, text messaging creates an avenue where people can comfortably lie to their friends. This reason for this aspect is that due to distance, people can deceive others without fear of being detected. For example, most people tell their peers that they did not see their messages. Others argue that they have been away from their phones for a long time, hence being unable to reply. Thusly, text messages have made phones objects that enhance lying. On a different psychological perspective, text messaging has increased the human dependency on smartphones. People do not value the direct verbal communication since it requires much of their attention and concentration. On the other hand, texting does not have many demands, hence attracting many users. Texting binds people to a continuous communication phase (Vitelli). This aspect creates a scenario where people send messages even in the midst of important activities. To be precise, texting can be termed as addictive based on the way it keeps people indulged in texting. Most people tend to chat while walking, cooking, or even when driving. For example, people adopt slow walking styles to have enough time for replying messages. Also, numerous accidents have been reported globally with the primary cause being text messaging while driving. In social places or even family gatherings, some texters fail to communicate with other people due to the concentration channeled to their phones. Thus, texting affects people in various ways, hence the need for proper interventions to be put in place. Hyper texting can end up creating psychological complications amongst the users.

Social Effects

The practice of texting showcases broad social effects. To be precise, mobile phones have deprived people of their social lives. All the people who text their friends use their phones more in texting than making calls. The high attachment associated with text messages also hinders phone users from engaging in verbal communication. In this case, social interactions in the modern society have declined at a tremendous rate. In the family setup, communication has dropped due to every members’ concentration on their messaging. Also, in instances where messages are not responded to, the senders get offended, hence affecting the social bond. Teenagers are known for engaging in long hours of texting their friends (Cause and Effect Essay). As a result, they end up developing poor sleep habits. In the U.S. people receive an average of 88 texts and 17 phone calls. The convenience aspect of testing is explained as the main reason behind excessive texting. The secretive aspect of texts allows infidelity since messages can be deleted after reading. Thusly, the social effects of texting are higher compared to all the other outcomes. For human beings’ social well-being to be arrived at, proper texting habits ought to be adopted.  

Emotional Effects

Despite the apparent advantages held by texting, it encompasses numerous emotional effects. Texting has proven its ability to destroy intimate relationships. In relationships, partners tend to concentrate on texts, hence ignoring the importance of verbal communication. To be precise, the use of emoticons in texts and social media platforms cannot match the nature of verbal communication. Texting hinders one from communicating deep emotional, spiritual, and mental information to their partners. Another challenge is that frequent texting creates a boring environment that ends up creating a rift between the participants. On a different note, text messaging facilitates anxiety and stress. In instances where the recipient is not interested in the conversation, they opt to avoid replying. Also, most messaging platforms indicate when a text has been delivered and viewed by the recipient. In situations where a person avoids reading or reads and fails to reply, the sender suffers emotionally trying to figure out the reason. The aspects of hate and rejection occur, thereby causing stress (Vitelli). The behavior of the message sender and the recipient is significant, since unexpected differences can affect one or both of the parties. Boredom also arises in cases where one party replies by using one word or a single letter. For example, a message sender can use K instead of okay. Such replies cause interpretation problems to the person expecting a satisfactory response (Cause and Effect Essay). Based on the emotional aspects of texting, it is evident that it can be a medium of brewing conflicts. In as much as texting has its own benefits, the shortcomings are numerous hence the need for those involved in the practice to understand them.

Conclusion

Texting entails sharing messages between different people using cellular devices or social media platforms. Instant messaging allows messages to be replied to after being read. The significant causes of text messaging entail its convenience and reliability. There is also the affordability aspect since the devices used are readily accessible. The other causative element is its support for multiple messaging, which enables many people to share information with ease. The outcomes of text messaging are detrimental since the range from intellectual to emotional and social effects. Frequent texters end up ignoring the standard communication measures, hence resulting in poor performance in schools. Emotional effects are involved since texting is used broadly to showcase compassion or displeasure. In this case, texting has numerous negative effects that should be evaded by all possible means.

Works Cited

"Cause and Effect Essay: Texting as the Most Popular Means of Communication”. AnalyzEdu, Feb. 2016, www.analyzedu.com/blog/essay-samples/cause-and-effect-essay-texting-as-the-most-popular-means-of-communication.html, Accessed 14 Nov. 2017.

Vitelli, Romeo. “Stress, Texting, and Being Social: How do Cell Phones and Text Messaging Affect how Young People Manage Stress?” Psychology Today, Dec. 2014, https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/media-spotlight/201312/stress-texting-and-being-social, Accessed 14 Nov. 2017.