A new study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology revealed that calling is better than texting in creating a stronger social bond with loved ones.  

Phone Call
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There are different ways on how to communicate with our loved ones most especially since the global pandemic has limited us to see them in-person.

But this should not stop us to let them feel that we still care and love them. Fortunately, modern technology helps us to stay connected with them either through text or call. 

However, text messages are prone to confusion. Miscommunication starts if the recipient of the message seems to misunderstand the tone of the message. There are situations where the message a sender is trying to convey is misunderstood because of how it is sent. For example, text messages that are all capitalized with exclamation marks might mean a strong emotion for some people.

A recent study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology found out that communication interaction with a voice like a call and a video chat creates stronger social bonds than typing, text messaging, or email. There were different methods in the study to prove the significance of calling. 

In one of their methods, they asked 200 people to communicate and reconnect with their old friends either through mail or phone call.

The researchers found out that those who used phone calls felt awkward at first when hearing the voice of their old friend, but made their experience better compared to those who sent emails. 

Amit Kumar, an assistant professor of marketing at the McCombs School of Business and co-author of the study, said, "People reported they did form a significantly stronger bond with their old friend on the phone versus email, and they did not feel more awkward."

In another method, they put strangers to connect with someone they do not know through text, call, and video chat.

The researchers found out that voice communication either a video call or voice call made the strangers feel more connected than communicating through text. 

Sabrina Romanoff, PsyD, a Harvard-trained clinical psychologist based in New York City, explained that people tend to email or communicate through text because of convenience. She said that there are people who see it as a more controlled form of communication where they can "correspond information exactly in the way they intend without unexpected additions by the other person."

Romanoff added "A phone call is actually more convenient when considering the net effects of the message. Each party is more present, and therefore, able to gauge the meaning behind the content without ruminating on the endless possible meanings behind words and punctuation."

In reality, it is indeed hard to determine the emotion and meaning behind a text message. Many people might misunderstand the real meaning of a text message. The study proves that any communication that involves voice will give you better chances of bonding with your loved ones. 

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