Please reply! The replying norm in adolescent SMS communication

The Effects of Cell Phone Usage Rules on Satisfaction in Romantic Relationships

“…Specifically, rules such as ''Do not beep too much'' and ''Do not send callback beeps to someone that you want to have a good impression of you'' guide the use of missed calls. In an analysis of text message sequences, Laursen (2005) found strong evidence of a reply norm-that is, the sending of a text message requires a response, and violation of the norm ''is a threat to the interaction and the social relationship'' (p. 72).…”

“…According to a survey by Pew (2006), 22% of cell phone users believe that too many people try to get a hold of them on their cell phones. It is clear that norms are being developed around the use of CMC (Laursen, 2005;Quan-Haase, Cothrel, & Wellman, 2005). The negotiation of cell phone rules may provide partners an opportunity to maintain control over the constant expectation of contact and to avoid the relational repercussions of managing calls and texts in ways that romantic relational partners view as inappropriate or unacceptable.…”

Communicative affordances and participation frameworks in mediated interaction

“…But there are forms of synchronous messaging or internet relay chat in which participants are online at the same time and contribute to a 'live' unfolding discussion. Texting falls somewhere between these types, since participants may retrieve texts sent to them at any time, but in many instances texters engage in synchronous exchanges of messages and replies (Hutchby and Tanna, 2008;Laursen, 2005;Weilenmann, 2003). Interaction in such environments is better characterised as quasi-synchronous, however, since the technological mediation introduces a temporal lag between turn production and reception which renders turn-taking problematic; or at least very different from ordinary conversation.…”

Children, Youth and the Mobile Phone

“…However, teens' interpretation of messages goes beyond the content of the text and can include the timeliness of a response. In some cases this is as carefully calibrated and interpreted as the actual text of the message (Laursen 2005). Responding too quickly may be see as being over eager while waiting too long is seen as being too casual when, for example, interacting with a potential new boy/girlfriend.…”