The Effects of Text Messaging and Instant Messaging on Literacy

This article reviews empirical studies published in the last decade on the effects of text messaging and instant messaging on literacy to determine whether they positively or negatively affect literacy. Although the majority of studies found a positive correlation between texting and/or instant messaging and literacy, others found a negative correlation, while still others report conflicting findings or no significant correlation at all. The studies reveal that literacy scores may correlate differently with frequency of texting, use of textese/textisms and knowledge of textisms; that there may be different correlations for reading, writing and spelling; and that the correlations may differ for formal and informal writing. The mixed results could also be caused by differences in the designs and populations of the studies. In addition, the correlational analyses conducted in most of the studies do not warrant conclusions about causality. All this suggests that there is a need for further research, preferably longitudinal studies with experimental intervention, on the relationship between text messaging or instant messaging and literacy.