The influence of textese on adolescents’ perceptions of text message writers
- Authors: Kemp, Nenagh , Graham, Jessica , Grieve, Rachel , Beyersmann, Elisabeth
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Telematics and informatics Vol. 65, no. (2021), p. 101720
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: Teenagers are often criticised for using ‘textese’ in digital messages (c u thurs).•Teens saw messages written by teachers and peers with different levels of textese.•They rated others, particularly teachers, more favourably for using less textese.•Teenagers have a nuanced understanding of the language of digital communication. Text messages are characterised by a casual language style, ‘textese’ (e.g., c u on thurs). This study investigated adolescents’ perceptions of the use of different levels of textese in digital messages which varied in their intended recipient (friend, teacher). Grade 8 students in Australia (N = 90, aged 13–14 years) each read six text messages purportedly written by a fellow student, and rated the extent to which they agreed (on a 7-point Likert scale) that the message writer was intelligent, paid attention to detail, used an appropriate writing style, and was friendly. Overall, participants rated message senders most favourably on all measures when they used no textese, and least favourably when they used high levels of textese. This pattern was even stronger when messages were addressed to teachers rather than same-aged friends. The findings suggest that adolescents are sensitive to both writing style and recipient when considering digital messages.
Push or pull? Unpacking the social compensation hypothesis of Internet use in an educational context
- Authors: Grieve, Rachel , Kemp, Nenagh , Norris, Kimberley , Padgett, Christine
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Computers and education Vol. 109, no. (2017), p. 1-10
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: Individual differences such as social anxiety and extraversion have been shown to influence education outcomes. However, there has been limited investigation of the relationship between individual differences and attitudes towards online and offline learning. This study aimed to investigate for the first time how social anxiety and extraversion influence student attitudes to online and offline learning, specifically in relation to tertiary level practical activities. Based on the social compensation hypothesis, it was predicted that students with higher levels of extraversion and lower levels of social anxiety would report more favourable attitudes to face-to-face learning activities. It was further predicted that less extraverted and more socially anxious students would have more favourable attitudes to online learning activities. Undergraduate students (N = 322, 67% female) completed the HEXACO-60 personality inventory, the Mini Social Phobia Inventory, and measures of attitudes towards online and offline activities. Two hierarchical multiple regressions were conducted. The first revealed that neither extraversion nor social anxiety contributed significantly to preference for online practical activities. The second regression revealed that greater emotionality, greater extraversion, greater conscientiousness, and lower levels of social anxiety were associated with more favourable attitudes towards face-to-face practical activities. In contrast to predictions, extraversion and social anxiety did not significantly contribute to attitudes to online learning activities. However, in line with predictions, greater extraversion and lower levels of social anxiety were associated with more favourable attitudes towards face-to-face practical activities. These findings indicate that online learning activities have limited compensatory effects for students who experience social discomfort, and that the social compensation hypothesis may apply within an educational framework, but in unexpected ways. •Applies the social compensation hypothesis of Internet use as a theoretical paradigm.•Examines role of social anxiety (SA) and extraversion in online and offline learning.•Extraversion and SA not associated with attitudes to online activities.•Extraversion and low SA positively predict face-to-face activity attitudes.•Online learning has limited compensatory effects for socially anxious students.