Dr Julienne McGeough, lecturer in psychology at Liverpool Hope University, explains how the way we communicate has changed and what impact this has on us:
Unlike writing a letter, which is almost always done consciously, texting and emailing can be ‘automated’ – this means a lack of attention, awareness, intention and control when we are writing them.
While emails can be immersive, as letters are, what we see happen as people email more, particularly when they are contacting the same person, is the quality of the emails reducing over time to become more automated.
For the person receiving an automated communication, the emotional connection will be lower. It is that sense of investment, both in cost and time, that makes a written letter mean more, but it is possible for the…
