Abstract
The rise of texting and social media usage, primarily among Millennials and Generation Z, has led to the emergence of new communication behaviors in the last decade. While many studies have focused solely on the behaviors of Millennials in the digital age, we examine the behaviors of Generation Z and how the usage of digital communication shapes the close relationships of America’s college-aged youth population. After identifying the advantages and disadvantages of face-to-face communication and digital communication, we argue that today’s youth seek a healthy balance between in-person and online communication to cultivate fulfilling interpersonal relationships with their friends and family. This balance is personally negotiated and depends on several factors, including the communication context, the perceived closeness of the relationship, and the personality (i.e., introvert or extrovert) of the communicator.
Journal Title
Iowa Journal of Communication
Volume
53
Issue
1
First Page
56
Last Page
74
Language
en
File Format
application/pdf
Recommended Citation
Sernett, Kurt; Reinhardt, Abigail; Smithson, Lillian; and Hollingshead, Mitchell
(2021)
"Just Txt Me: How Digital Platforms Shape the Close Relationships of Generation Z,"
Iowa Journal of Communication: Vol. 53:
No.
1, Article 7.
Available at:
https://scholarworks.uni.edu/ijc/vol53/iss1/7
Copyright
©2021 Iowa Communication Association
