Research: Type Less, Talk More

Results from several recent experiments suggest that people may undervalue the positive relational consequences of connecting with another person using one’s voice relative to text alone, leading to a potentially misplaced preference for typing to each other rather than talking. At the same time, adding video to a phone call–via a conferencing platform such as Zoom or Webex–did not increase the social connection between two people. The authors concede that communication media create tradeoffs.  Text-based interactions are sometimes more efficient, simpler, and enable your recipient to respond at his or her leisure.  But underestimating how connected you will feel talking to another person can leave you sending text-based messages more often than would be optimal for your own well-being.