Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Texting and Relationships


In this article, "Can Love Blossom in a Text Message?", Amanda Pressner tells about the some of the negative aspects that texting can have on a relationship. She states that while most men use text messaging as a tool to manage their relationships, women view texts as just another way to "foster emotional interaction." She also states that both men and women are more likely to revise plans, break dates, and end relationships via text messages. Pressner says some of the biggest problems that arise from texting is miscommunication and a lack of courtesy. She says that men and women are likely to have many fights through texting due to a "misunderstanding in wording or tone." Also, because texting is such an easy thing to do, men are now lacking in courtesy by asking women out on dates through a message.

This article is one that I can definitely relate to. I chose it because I have found myself having "text fights" with significant others because of a misunderstanding in wording. I have gotten defensive and fought back, and then received a message asking why I was mad. Instead of only talking through text messages, people need to learn to put down their cell phones every once in awhile and communicate with people face to face. One of the biggest problems that couples face in counseling is a lack of communication or miscommunication. In order to create better communication, people need to call each other on the phone or speak in person.

7 comments:

  1. This is very true. I have had some of the same problems while texting people think something is wrong by the way i type something when I really mean nothing in the way I say some thing. This is a very frustrating habit to break. However, in our hurried lifestyles, sadly, we think we do not have any time to communicate to others other that by texting them.

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  2. Another aspect of this, is that people and our relationships should be of far more value than what having significant conversations and interactions with others through texting can account for. This is something that young people in our culture should watch out for, otherwise, I'm afraid they will lack in having good and healthy relationships with others.

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  3. I personally do not like how texting is beginning to take over as the main communication line for the younger generation. If couples do not learn how to verbally communicate with each other, I believe the divorce rate will rise even more each year to come. Communication is one of the most important aspects of a relationship and if a couple does not know how to do that, their relationship will fail.

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  4. This is very true. A lot of people are getting way too comfortable with texting as the form of communication. I just read a post about kids not getting enough playing time outside. All this things are related. We are shifting away from what has always worked to convenience. This is laziness and it will only lead to more damages. Angela is right, the rate of divorce will only go up each year if young people and couples do not learn how to communicate effectively from an early stage.

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  5. I guess I would have to say that I agree with the article. And you are right the number one problem found within relationships deals with communication. I think that people should exercise responsibility over their relationships and put into it what they wish to get out. People should work in their relationships to exemplify Christ and His church.

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  6. Sadly, we all have fallen into the trap of miscommunicating through texting, but what makes it worse is when we don't go out of our way to clear things up. Because communication is so vital to forming strong relationships, it is important for us to learn how to communicate clearly and effectively. If we don't learn how to communicate well in our present relationships, we are going to have a more difficult time communicating in our future relationships: boss-employee, student-teacher, dating, marriage, and even with our own children. Communicating through texting should not be our primary form of communicating as Kay said. And as we have seen, texting can destroy the best, and many times the most essential, relationships in our lives.

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  7. I would have to consider myself a veteran on this topic. With a number of "relationships" or friendships that could of very possibly turned into relationships have gone horribly wrong simply because of a cell phone. Miscommunication/ misinterpretation is what comes out of texting. Things as simply as how long it one waits for a response. or short or close ended responses that end conversations. He or She always texts the other one first. Essentially what im getting at is there are so many little things that can add up and leave people frustrated and can influence them to make major decisions just because of misinterpreted texting, and possibly the person on the other end simply didnt have enough time. or lost their phone, or something like that and did not try to send that kind of "vibe" across at all. Texting is very dangerous in relationships, but most of all getting them started. Dont do it and talk in person. It will work out much much better not only in that relationship, but in communication skills!

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