Avoidance and Anxiety About Phone Calls in Young Adults: The Role of Social Anxiety and Texting Controllability

This study examined generational differences in texting preference and call anxiety, focusing on their associations with social anxiety and perceived controllability of texting. Younger adults (in their 20s and 30s) reported stronger preferences for texting and higher call anxiety than older adults (in their 40s and 50s). Social anxiety significantly predicted perceived controllability in texting—defined as the sense of preparedness and editability in text-based communication—which, in turn, influenced both texting preference and call anxiety. Age was negatively associated with social anxiety and controllability in texting, suggesting that younger individuals are more socially anxious and value the control afforded by text messaging. These findings illustrate how dispositional factors and digital media norms interact to shape generational differences in communication behavior.