The online communication has taken a big leap over the real-time chatting. This factor can be attributed to the ease of chatting on the proliferated mediums like social messaging and facilities of one-to-one communication & online networking. Practically all the time, everybody is on some sort of device, so messages are sent and received without any delay. Easy access is one prominent issue of online chats over real-life age-old communication.
Survey
A survey carried out by Common Sense Media in the USA on 1,000 teenagers for their habits of chatting had amazing results. It says that 61% of teenagers between 13-17% prefer talking to their buddies over smartphones or via social media than doing real-life chats. The survey also found that 54% of teens like to stay on social media and chat-sites than chatting with the people around them.
Internet Addiction
The figures for the survey appear moderate, as most of them seem to be on the internet chatting with the known people and strangers. Probably, they find it easier to share their thoughts and ideas than they do in the real world.
With live chatting facility, they can talk face to face with people and express their wildest and normal viewpoints. Here, their online friends become their real friends, as their ‘real-life’ real friends are also hooked to the internet.
Causes of Online Chatting
There are numerous reasons behind chatting online than interacting face to face. Their online friendships are growing at a rapid pace, placing their real friends in the alley. This will be interesting to know what could be those causes that have brought about this situation.
- Relaxed Mindset: This creates an environment to chat on any subject with their online friends when people sit relaxed in the cozy comfort of their homes.
- Unreserved Chatting: In real-life, some people are more conscious of their indiscreet chats being misquoted, but online chats for them are kind of safe. They are not under any kind of pressure while chatting online. They never think twice before chatting online, unlike in real-time where they are apprehensive of what to utter and what to hold back.
- Uncontrolled Facial Expression: Some people get very conscious of their facial expressions and don’t love to chat in Real-life because of their ‘tell-tale’ expressions. At online chats, they stay comfortable on this count, as they can randomly chat with anyone.
- No Chat Pressure: Many a time, some people get overawed by other people they are talking to, which disallows them a chat they would love to do. However, online chat for them carries no such pressures.
- Thinking Time Is More: In real-life, it happens that people find less time to respond and chat accordingly. Online chat allows them to chat easily with enough time to think and respond.
- Easy to Find a Friend Online: This is the age of communication through chat sites and other apps. Finding a friend is not a big issue online. However, real-life friendships have their own set of issues that become harder to handle for some people. Moreover, online, one can get across people from across the world for having diverse chats and make friends.