Mobile Romance: An Exploration of the Development of Romantic Relationships through Texting. Solis, R. J. C. In Kim, S. D. & Lee, M. Y., editors, pages 14, October, 2006. The Executive Agency for Culture Cities, The Ministry of Culture & Tourism.
abstract   bibtex   
The continuing trend of the mobile phone text messaging ("texting") phenomenon presents yet another set of new challenges in the understanding of interpersonal communication and relationships, both virtual and real. This study has conducted a novel systematic examination for validating the conflicting perspectives of the technology's implications to mobile romance. This research has also proposed a framework for theorizing the occurrence of relationships through and within mediated communications based on three main factors: (1) the characteristics of the participants and the nature of their romantic relationships, (2) the level of intimacy that is achieved through the mediated communication, and (3) the distinct contribution of the technology to the formation of these relationships. The study's primary finding is that romantic relationships initiated and maintained through the unique attributes of the texting function is indeed possible and capable of developing into higher levels of intimacy. Data analysis indicated that the typical individual who engaged in romantic relationships through texting is 23 years old, more likely female than male, and single. Texters actually initiated their relationships through the search of a textmate that could later provide for a potential romantic partner. Data analysis also revealed that men and the younger set of respondents were more adventurous than their respective counterparts in exploring their relationships. However, gender did not indicate any correlation with texting behaviors suggesting that texting is a result of a simple experience rather than of gender roles. It was the cellphone's characteristics of immediacy, accessibility, privacy, anonymity, autonomy, regularity, convenience, affordability, and redundancy that made relationships develop into a high level of intimacy. Autonomy and anonymity were the attributes of the texting technology that made initiation of romantic relationships easier while accessibility, immediacy, affordability and privacy were the characteristics that enabled partners to maintain and develop their romance into a highly intimate relationship.
@inproceedings{kim_mobile_2006,
	title = {Mobile {Romance}: {An} {Exploration} of the {Development} of {Romantic} {Relationships} through {Texting}},
	abstract = {The continuing trend of the mobile phone text messaging ("texting") phenomenon presents yet another set of new challenges in the understanding of interpersonal communication and relationships, both virtual and real. This study has conducted a novel systematic examination for validating the conflicting perspectives of the technology's implications to mobile romance. This research has also proposed a framework for theorizing the occurrence of relationships through and within mediated communications based on three main factors: (1) the characteristics of the participants and the nature of their romantic relationships, (2) the level of intimacy that is achieved through the mediated communication, and (3) the distinct contribution of the technology to the formation of these relationships. The study's primary finding is that romantic relationships initiated and maintained through the unique attributes of the texting function is indeed possible and capable of developing into higher levels of intimacy. Data analysis indicated that the typical individual who engaged in romantic relationships through texting is 23 years old, more likely female than male, and single. Texters actually initiated their relationships through the search of a textmate that could later provide for a potential romantic partner. Data analysis also revealed that men and the younger set of respondents were more adventurous than their respective counterparts in exploring their relationships. However, gender did not indicate any correlation with texting behaviors suggesting that texting is a result of a simple experience rather than of gender roles. It was the cellphone's characteristics of immediacy, accessibility, privacy, anonymity, autonomy, regularity, convenience, affordability, and redundancy that made relationships develop into a high level of intimacy. Autonomy and anonymity were the attributes of the texting technology that made initiation of romantic relationships easier while accessibility, immediacy, affordability and privacy were the characteristics that enabled partners to maintain and develop their romance into a highly intimate relationship.},
	publisher = {The Executive Agency for Culture Cities, The Ministry of Culture \& Tourism},
	author = {Solis, Randy Jay C.},
	editor = {Kim, Shin Dong and Lee, Mi Young},
	month = oct,
	year = {2006},
	pages = {14}
}

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