Similar texting habits to your partner could be the key to relationship satisfaction

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Woman texting on her phone in bed while her husband is sleeping

 

Do you enjoy long, rambling, witty text exchanges while your partner is a more matter-of-fact one-word responder, or vice versa? Your relationship may be doomed, according to a new study.

If you share a similar texting style, however, it could be the key to relationship satisfaction.

Couples with similar styles, and who regularly used texts to express their feelings, including anger, tend to be happier in their relationships, according to a study by psychologists at Pace University, New York.

The experts surveyed 205 Americans aged 18-29 who were in relationships.

They were asked questions about their texting behaviour, from how often they text to the nature of their conversations.  They also took surveys which measured their attachment styles and levels of contentment in their relationships.

“Findings highlight the importance of perceived similarity between romantic partners regarding texting behaviours for their level of satisfaction, even when taking into account the robust predictors of attachment anxiety and avoidance,” says the study, which was published in the journal Computers in Human Behaviour.

However, the majority of those surveyed were female, which means the results may not apply to men.

The researchers suggested that, in the future, texting habits could be used in relationship counselling.

“Clinicians might be able to work with individuals in relationships or romantic couples about their expectations for and actual text messaging behaviours in order to promote relationship satisfaction and functioning,” the study added.