In the wake of new-age technology, many devices are becoming substitutes for face-to-face communication, and experts say they could be killing relationships.

"Research has shown that if a person feels his or her likelihood of being rejected for a date is high, there is a better chance he or she will ask through a text rather than a higher risk way, such as over the phone or in person," said Derek Westra, a 23-year-old BYU senior who conducted a survey on the effects of technology on communication. "I think you know what I'm talking about ... we all do it - I know I have."

While user-friendly phone and wireless sources benefit society in many ways, data is showing people could be dangerously hindering their relationship ties through overuse of instant messaging. As cell phones go mainstream, more people are relying on text messages to get their word across.

Westra, a public relations major, conducted a class project for his media effects research class, and he isn't the only one who has statistical evidence about the trend. More than one in three college-aged students send messages from wireless devices, according to Wireless World Forum, a wireless industry network sharing business and product development knowledge. This demographic is quickly becoming the fastest-growing sect to use cell phones.

In a recent Harris Interactive and Teenage Research Unlimited survey, researchers found 2,618 Americans ages 13 to 24 spent approximately 7.7 hours per week talking on the phone and 16.7 hours of that week Internet surfing.

Westra explained instant messaging keeps family interconnected online, but can also lead to fewer in-person meetings, outings and less time actually talking. He said the data collected showed communicating online can be overused and is beginning to replace real-life relationships with virtual ones.

"We did a lot of research and found some interesting and startling information," Westra said. "There is so much good which comes from technology, but with the Internet comes cyber-bullying; online infidelity, which is extremely high among married men; pornography addictions; child predators and more.

"There have been many breakups caused by IM or online relationships, and college students tend to break up often, via text messaging, since they view it as the most non-confrontational way to express themselves."

Provo students and residents at local college campuses are no exception. Some find themselves victims of text-messaging conflict in their relationships.

"[Text messages] are convenient sometimes, when you need to send a quick note, but when people try to have entire conversations, I'm like 'just call me,'" said Amy Brockman, a 21-year-old UVSC student. "My boyfriend of two months broke up with me based on the fact that we only text messaged. We lived in different towns, so text messaging became our main source of communication, but he thought it was annoying and called things off."

One of the main reasons for investing so much time on the Internet, said participants, was the easy communication management and environmental control it provided, according to the teenage research survey. Respondents ages 12 to 17 spent more than 26 minutes per day, on average, instant messaging.

"My opinion is that [messaging] is very addicting, and is extremely less effective," said Westra. "I use it regularly and fall into all the same categories that I researched."

However, media is a good thing and a way for people to effectively communicate worldwide, said Scott Bell, BYU communications professor for media law and ethics. People are more reachable and can be found anywhere with the push of a few buttons.

"I am likely to text if I think there is a risk of rejection or confrontation, but I acknowledge that it is not a good form of communication," said Westra. "Like many things in life, what's extremely convenient is often less effective than what is real. It's like fast food: we all eat it, but we know it's not good for us, it's just there and convenient."

Copyright Brigham Young University 5 Jul 2006