Text appeal: the psychology of SMS texting and its implications for the design of mobile phone interfaces

It is argued that understanding the psychological drivers behind SMS uptake among key user groups could open the door to a range of user‐centred applications capable of transforming handset usability – and hence operator revenues – for this inexpensive form of text messaging.

Abstract

Argues that understanding the psychological drivers behind SMS uptake among key user groups could open the door to a range of user‐centred applications capable of transforming handset usability – and hence operator revenues – for this inexpensive form of text messaging. Combines the findings of our own web‐based survey of SMS users with psychological evidence and research on related text‐based conversational systems to draw out lessons for a user‐based approach to the design of mobile phone handset displays that capitalise on the social affordances of SMS texting.