Teens remain as elusive and contradictory as ever. Nothing expresses that more emphatically than the new teen social dynamic known as “Textual Feeling.” Identified in the new gTrend Teen Report, “Textual Feeling” is phenomenon in which teens share their deepest emotions via technology for all to see. Because technology is an essential part of who they are, many teens routinely express their secret hopes, dreams and fears via social networking sites and online. This shift to communal sharing of private thoughts is radically changing interpersonal communication among teens. For some, expressing themselves through technology – online conversations or texting – has become the only way they think they can communicate their emotions
In many ways, teens today are an open book. Yet, most are conscientious about not posting telephone numbers, addresses, and other critical personal information on the web because they recognize the dangers. Our research, however, consistently shows that many teens feel it’s safer and more comfortable to engage peers through technology than in face-to-face interaction.
Want to understand more about what is in the new gTrend Teen Report and find out how to reach teens? Contact GTR Consulting at gtrend@gtrconsulting.com, or 415.713.7852.