Using abbreviations while texting might save some typing time, but it won't make a good impression, a new study finds.
People who use texting abbreviations like IDK or GOAT are perceived as more insincere and are less likely to receive replies, researchers discovered.
“Our findings are especially relevant when we want to appear more sincere and strengthen social ties, such as at the beginning of a relationship or when we need to make a good impression,” said lead researcher David Fang, a doctoral student in behavioral marketing at Stanford University.
For the study, published Nov. 14 in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, researchers conducted a series of eight experiments involving more than 5,300 people.
The team analyzed replies to conversations in Discord group chats and dating apps and sites, spanning 37 countries.
Other experiments asked participants to rate their texting conversations with people who either were or weren’t using abbreviations.
In the experiments, texters who used abbreviations received shorter and fewer responses, and they were less likely to receive contact information from the other texter.
Young people tend to use more texting abbreviations, but even they weren’t fans of receiving texts loaded with abbreviations, results show.
“While our overall results on age were mixed, it’s clear that younger people are not particularly fond of abbreviations, though the strength of this aversion may vary by age,” Fang said in a Stanford news release.
These abbreviations could contribute to loneliness if their use causes people to respond less frequently or less positively, Fang said.
OTOH, Fang believes these abbreviations are useful in their proper context.
“In some cases, it makes sense to invest less effort and accept being perceived as less sincere, like quickly texting with a delivery driver,” Fang said.
Many people are likely to be surprised by these results, the researchers added.
In a preliminary survey, they found that 99% of respondents said they used text abbreviations and 84% didn’t think others would mind their use.
“In daily interactions, we often encounter people who could be considered good texters or poor texters,” Fang said. “We thought texters might like abbreviations because it would convey an informal sense of closeness, so we were surprised that abbreviations elicited negative perceptions about people who use them.”