Interacting via SMS: Practices of social closeness and reciprocation

Abstract

This paper deals with the sequential structure of communication via short message service (SMS) among adults and young adults, aged 25-35 and 50-65, respectively. A collection of 173 SMS exchanges for personal communication, spontaneously composed by participants, was gathered. Each exchange was photographed from the display of the participant's mobile phone and then analysed with the approach of conversation analysis. A questionnaire was also administered during the collection procedure. The analysis of the practices organizing the action sequence reveals that exchanges frequently lack openings and closures, show an effort towards reciprocation and use implicit or anticipated actions. Social presence seems then characterized by a sense of constant availability, symmetric commitment and shared understanding. It is concluded that the sequential structure of mediated communication may give insightful details on the nature of the social presence thereby constituted and may provide a criterion to compare different communication modes.

Mobile Phone and Short Message Service Appropriation, Usage and Behavioral Issues among University Students

“…Japanese users were also found to be sensitive to the amount of time that passes after a message is sent (Ito et al, 2005). This is similar with respondents from the UK (Haddon, 2002), Italy (Spagnolli and Gamberini, 2007) and Denmark (Harper et al, 2005) who expect immediate replies to their messages.…”

“…The youth are known to use SMS for coordinating their daily activities with their friends that include making plans to meet up for lunch or dinner and arranging schedules for discussions (Hagan and Rice, 2007), similar with users in Japan (Ishii, 2006), Norway (Harper et al, 2005) and Italy (Spagnolli and Gamberini, 2007). In addition, SMS is also favored as it is cheap, quick and easy to use.…”

“…This can be noted from their tendencies to constantly check for messages, expecting reciprocity immediately and getting distressed when their messages are not replied (immediately), among others. Respondents from countries such as Japan (Igarashi et al, 2005), UK (Haddon, 2002), Italy (Spagnolli and Gamberini, 2007) and Denmark (Harper et al, 2005) were also found to exhibit such behavior.…”

“…The SMS is also often used as a social communication tool, used to build new relationships, bond closely with families and friends, maintain and reinforce a strong sense of connection with peers (Ishii, 2006) in Japan, (Kim et al, 2007) Korea, (Harper et al, 2005) Norway and (Spagnolli and Gamberini, 2007) in Italy. SMS appears to be lightweight, inexpensive, less intrusive and enables easy contact with a distributed peer group.…”

Human–computer interaction: A stable discipline, a nascent science, and the growth of the long tail

“…Research on SMS behaviour often discusses its use for intimate communications ''thinking of you", ''love you" (Gamberini et al, 2004;Spagnolli and Gamberini, 2007). However, this message was something slightly, but significantly, different.…”