By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2024-11-14 14:36:09 | Updated at 2024-11-25 01:14:02
1 week ago
Sometimes it's tempting to reply to texts with a quick 'LOL' or 'BRB'.
But sending abbreviations such as these – which are short for 'laugh out loud' and 'be right back'– could make you seem insincere, a study suggests.
Researchers say people should spell out words in full instead of shortening them if you want to come across as genuine and receive more replies.
A team from Stanford University in California conducted eight texting experiments involving more than 5,300 people.
Analysis revealed that people who used texting abbreviations such as 'FWIW' – instead of spelling out 'for what it's worth' – were perceived as more insincere.
They were also les likely to receive a response because they were seen to be making less effort in text conversation.
'In daily interactions, we often encounter people who could be considered good texters or poor texters,' lead researcher David Fang said.
'We thought texters might like abbreviations because it would convey an informal sense of closeness, so we were surprised that abbreviations elicited negative perceptions about people who use them.'
Sometimes it's tempting to reply to texts with a quick 'LOL' or 'BRB'. But sending abbreviations such as these – which are short for 'laugh out loud' and 'be right back' - could make you seem insincere, a study suggests (stock image)
Texting has become a dominant form of digital communication, and most texters use some abbreviations including 'IDK' for 'I don't know' or 'GOAT' for 'greatest of all time'
Texting has become a dominant form of digital communication.
And most texters use some abbreviations including 'IDK' for 'I don't know' or 'GOAT' for 'greatest of all time'.
In one of the surveys carried out by the researchers, 99 per cent of people said they used texting abbreviations.
Meanwhile, 84 per cent didn't believe that others wouldn't like abbreviations.
The team found that while young people tend to use more texting abbreviations, they still weren't fans of them.
'While our overall results on age were mixed, it's clear that younger people are not particularly fond of abbreviations,' Mr Fang said.
He warned that texting abbreviations could contribute to loneliness if people find that social bonds weaken over time because they receive less frequent or positive replies to their texts.
However, he doesn't believe people should stop using abbreviations altogether.
Analysis revealed that people who used texting abbreviations such as 'FWIW' – instead of spelling out 'for what it's worth' – were perceived as more insincere
'We often tailor the effort we put into conversations to match the significance of the relationship,' he said.
'In some cases, it makes sense to invest less effort and accept being perceived as less sincere, like quickly texting with a delivery driver.
'However, our findings are especially relevant when we want to appear more sincere and strengthen social ties, such as at the beginning of a relationship or when we need to make a good impression.'
The findings were published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General.
WHY YOU SHOULD NEVER USE FULL STOPS IN TEXT MESSAGES
You may think of emoji as silly additions to text messages, but a new study has revealed that the characters can help convey meaning.
The study found that far from being annoying, smiley faces, as well as abbreviations and acronyms, are valuable additions to text messages.
But ending messages with a full stop people was found to be a heartless move that changed the meaning of texts.
Researchers from Binghampton University in New York suggest that new additions to written communication called 'textisms' like LOL and CUL8 are not sloppy nor a sign that written language is dying a death, but provide vital clues only usually found in face-to-face meetings.
Even the use of slang such as 'yeah', 'yup' and 'nope' in text messages provides telltale signs of someone's real emotions and feelings.
Professor Celia Klin, lead author of the study, said: 'In contrast with face-to-face conversation, texters can't rely on extra-linguistic cues such as tone of voice and pauses, or non-linguistic cues such as facial expressions and hand gestures.'
In a spoken conversation, the cues aren't simply add-ons to our words; they convey critical information.
'A facial expression or a rise in the pitch of our voices can entirely change the meaning of our words.
'One way that texters add meaning to their words is by using textisms - things like emoticons, irregular spellings (sooooo) and irregular use of punctuation (!!!)', she said.
An earlier study by Dr Klin found that text messages ending with a full stop are seen as less sincere than text messages that do not end with a period.
These results suggest that punctuation can misconstrue or influence the meaning of text messages.
Skipping punctuation indicates you are answering more spontaneously and heartfelt.
The new study found that full stops are increasingly being replaced with abbreviations, emoticons and the even more recent trend of emoji which include pictures of a cake for someone's birthday or a pint of beer for a night out.
