Emma Dunlop
THE battle of the sexes has reared its head once again after Yorkshire researchers revealed new significant differences between men and women – in the way they text.
For years women have been battling to keep up sides with men and prove themselves to be equal in all ways.
But researchers in Sheffield have proved that in the modern world there is one key difference – and that is in the way that we text.
A study, led by Dr Simeon Yates of Sheffield Hallam University, reveals that there are key differences in the way that men and women use mobile phones to communicate.
The "rules"about mobile phone etiquette differ between the sexes, and there are major differences in what counts as polite and acceptable.
But most intriguing is the fact that the modern phenomenon of texting is markedly different between the sexes.
These also differ depending on whether someone is texting their own gender or someone from the opposite sex.
Messages between men are shorter than those between women, and text messages from men get longer when they are texting women.
There are also significant differences in the content of messages men and women exchanged, men being much more likely to use sarcasm, sexual humour and swearing.
Women are more likely to show support and affection. They also rarely swear, use little sarcasm, often put themselves down -– something men never do in their texts.
Dr Yates said: "Mobile phones have become ubiquitous in a very short space of time and people have had to adapt to the fact that this technology means we can constantly be contacted.
"As a result, both relationships and the way that we communicate with each other have changed.
"We found that people have very quickly adapted to using mobile phones as a way of managing different aspects of their lives at the same time.
"An obvious example is that a man is more likely to text than phone his partner when he is out with friends or peers. This prevents him by losing face by switching from 'friend' mode to 'partner' mode in front of his peers."
However, other findings showed less of a divide between the sexes, with no concrete etiquette rules about the use of mobile phones from one or other gender.
Most people are annoyed by at least one inconsiderate use of mobile phones – for example loud ring tones, texting while talking, hearing other people's conversations or unanswered calls.
Dr Yates added: "We asked respondents about their feelings about a number of public uses of mobile phones and in most cases there was around 65:35 split between those who were upset by an activity and those who weren't.
"The most annoying use was found to be loud ring tones, which upset almost 77 per cent of our respondents. "
She said some of these findings were due to the technology of the mobile phone, while others were more based on the differences between the way men and women communicate more generally.
"It is interesting that both sexes have adapted the technology in slightly different ways in order to meet their own communication needs and is definitely an area for further study," she said.
emma.dunlop@ypn.co.uk