Author Name:- Rajashree.D, Dr. Darshini. M / Date:- 13 May, 2025
Abstract
In an increasingly digitalized world, text messaging has undoubtedly enhancedinterpersonal connectivity, however, the psychosocial consequences of this trend havelargely been unexplored. Previous literature suggests a neuropsychological link betweenemotional face expression recognition and problematic internet use, which might interferewith emotional evaluative and regulative mechanisms. However, the direct relationshipbetween texting habits and the ability to recognize facial emotional cues in particular hasnot been identified. Data was collected from 150 young adults aged 18-25 usingconvenience sampling. The texting habits were quantified using the SMS Problem UseDiagnostic Questionnaire (2007). To evaluate their capacity to read facial emotional cues,participants were presented with a series of facial expressions depicting various emotionsand were asked to identify the emotions displayed. Regression analysis was used to test therelationships between variables. The results indicated that young adults who engage intexting more frequently reported better facial emotional cue recognizing skills compared tothose who communicate through texting less frequently. The relationship between theabsence of face to-face interaction and its psychosocial consequences might be morecomplex and not as direct as earlier predicted. Additionally, role of family structure, levelof co-curricular activities and other modes of communication are further explored. Thestudy findings would have implications on the development of tech-based social skillstraining modules as well as identifying potential pathways of other sequelae of long-termprioritizing of text messaging over face-to-face interactions.
Keywords: Facial cue recognition, Text-based communication, technologically mediatedinteractions
