The effects of text, audio, video, and in-person communication on bonding between friends
Considerable research on computer-mediated communication has examined online communication between strangers, but little is known about the emotional experience of connectedness between friends in digital environments. However, adolescents and emerging adults use digital communication primarily to c...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Masaryk University
2013-07-01
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| Series: | Cyberpsychology: Journal of Psychosocial Research on Cyberpspace |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://cyberpsychology.eu/article/view/4285 |
| _version_ | 1827310993888247808 |
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| author | Lauren E. Sherman Minas Michikyan Patricia M. Greenfield |
| author_facet | Lauren E. Sherman Minas Michikyan Patricia M. Greenfield |
| author_sort | Lauren E. Sherman |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Considerable research on computer-mediated communication has examined online communication between strangers, but little is known about the emotional experience of connectedness between friends in digital environments. However, adolescents and emerging adults use digital communication primarily to communicate with existing friends rather than to make new connections. We compared feelings of emotional connectedness as they occurred in person and through digital communication among pairs of close friends in emerging adulthood. Fifty-eight young women, recruited in pairs of close friends, engaged in four conversations each: in-person, video chat, audio chat, and instant messaging (IM). Bonding in each condition was measured through both self-report and affiliation cues (i.e., nonverbal behaviors associated with the emotional experience of bonding). Participants reported feeling connected in all conditions. However, bonding, as measured by both self-report and affiliation cues, differed significantly across conditions, with the greatest bonding during in-person interaction, followed by video chat, audio chat, and IM in that order. Compared with other participants, those who used video chat more frequently reported greater bonding with friends through video chat in our study. Compared with other participants, those who spoke on the phone more frequently with their participating friend reported greater bonding during audio chat. Use of textual affiliation cues like emoticons, typed laughter, and excessive letter capitalization during IM related to increased bonding experience during IM. Nonetheless, a significantly lower level of bonding was experienced in IM compared with in-person communication. Because adolescent and emerging adults’ digital communication is primarily text-based, this finding has significant real-world implications. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T20:08:51Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6d26916bc9f4499d8e68baf13ffd22fb |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1802-7962 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T20:08:51Z |
| publishDate | 2013-07-01 |
| publisher | Masaryk University |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Cyberpsychology: Journal of Psychosocial Research on Cyberpspace |
| spelling | doaj.art-6d26916bc9f4499d8e68baf13ffd22fb2024-03-23T13:15:38ZengMasaryk UniversityCyberpsychology: Journal of Psychosocial Research on Cyberpspace1802-79622013-07-017210.5817/CP2013-2-3The effects of text, audio, video, and in-person communication on bonding between friendsLauren E. ShermanMinas MichikyanPatricia M. GreenfieldConsiderable research on computer-mediated communication has examined online communication between strangers, but little is known about the emotional experience of connectedness between friends in digital environments. However, adolescents and emerging adults use digital communication primarily to communicate with existing friends rather than to make new connections. We compared feelings of emotional connectedness as they occurred in person and through digital communication among pairs of close friends in emerging adulthood. Fifty-eight young women, recruited in pairs of close friends, engaged in four conversations each: in-person, video chat, audio chat, and instant messaging (IM). Bonding in each condition was measured through both self-report and affiliation cues (i.e., nonverbal behaviors associated with the emotional experience of bonding). Participants reported feeling connected in all conditions. However, bonding, as measured by both self-report and affiliation cues, differed significantly across conditions, with the greatest bonding during in-person interaction, followed by video chat, audio chat, and IM in that order. Compared with other participants, those who used video chat more frequently reported greater bonding with friends through video chat in our study. Compared with other participants, those who spoke on the phone more frequently with their participating friend reported greater bonding during audio chat. Use of textual affiliation cues like emoticons, typed laughter, and excessive letter capitalization during IM related to increased bonding experience during IM. Nonetheless, a significantly lower level of bonding was experienced in IM compared with in-person communication. Because adolescent and emerging adults’ digital communication is primarily text-based, this finding has significant real-world implications.https://cyberpsychology.eu/article/view/4285Emerging adulthooddigital communicationfriendshipbonding |
| spellingShingle | Lauren E. Sherman Minas Michikyan Patricia M. Greenfield The effects of text, audio, video, and in-person communication on bonding between friends Cyberpsychology: Journal of Psychosocial Research on Cyberpspace Emerging adulthood digital communication friendship bonding |
| title | The effects of text, audio, video, and in-person communication on bonding between friends |
| title_full | The effects of text, audio, video, and in-person communication on bonding between friends |
| title_fullStr | The effects of text, audio, video, and in-person communication on bonding between friends |
| title_full_unstemmed | The effects of text, audio, video, and in-person communication on bonding between friends |
| title_short | The effects of text, audio, video, and in-person communication on bonding between friends |
| title_sort | effects of text audio video and in person communication on bonding between friends |
| topic | Emerging adulthood digital communication friendship bonding |
| url | https://cyberpsychology.eu/article/view/4285 |
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