Sometimes it’s tempting to respond to text messages with a quick ‘LOL’ or ‘BRB’.
But sending abbreviations like these, which are shorthand for “laugh out loud” and “I’ll be right back,” could make you appear insincere, a study suggests.
Researchers say people should spell out words in full rather than shortening them if they want to appear genuine and get more responses.
A team at Stanford University in California conducted eight text messaging experiments involving more than 5,300 people.
The analysis revealed that people who used abbreviations in text messages such as “FWIW” (instead of writing “for what it’s worth”) were perceived as less sincere.
They were also less likely to receive a response because they were seen to put less effort into a text conversation.
“In everyday interactions, we often encounter people who could be considered good or bad users of text messages,” said lead researcher David Fang.
“We thought texters might like abbreviations because they would convey an informal sense of closeness, so we were surprised that abbreviations led to negative perceptions about people who use them.”
Sometimes it’s tempting to respond to text messages with a quick ‘LOL’ or ‘BRB’. But sending abbreviations like these, which are shorthand for “laugh out loud” and “I’ll be right back,” could make you seem insincere, a study suggests (file 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 conducted by the researchers, 99 percent of people said they used abbreviations in text messages.
Meanwhile, 84 percent didn’t believe others didn’t like abbreviations.
The team found that while young people tend to use abbreviations more in text messages, they still didn’t like them.
“Although our overall results on age were mixed, it’s clear that younger people don’t particularly like abbreviations,” Mr. Fang said.
He warned that abbreviations in text messages could contribute to loneliness if people find that social bonds weaken over time because they receive less frequent or positive responses to their text messages.
However, he doesn’t think people should stop using abbreviations entirely.
The analysis revealed that people who used abbreviations in text messages such as “FWIW” (instead of writing “for what it’s worth”) were perceived as less sincere.
“We often tailor the effort we put into conversations to match the importance of the relationship,” he said.
‘In some cases, it makes sense to invest less effort and accept being perceived as less sincere, such as quickly texting a delivery person.
“However, our findings are especially relevant when we want to appear more sincere and strengthen social bonds, 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.