Why use the phone and not the internet to maintain relationships?

In times when technology is set on fast forward and means of free communication are so at hand, do we still use the good old telephone, or even the newer cell phones, to make calls so as to reach people that are distances away?

Many of us still do. It’s quite an interesting phenomenon when we understand why (apart from simple reasons like the absence of an internet connection or a computer).

A phone call implies no visual contact. In communication, in general, no visual contact means no immediate feedback. Often, real, truthful feedback is given through gestures, body language, more than uttered words. Non-verbal feedback – something we sometimes rely on even more than on the verbal one. We don’t get that during phone conversations. Also, at times, verbal communication creates expectancies that are not met when the visual comes up.

Well, this appears to be why we’d favor the internet communication, which allows us to pair a face to a message. Strangely enough, these are also the reasons why we prefer making phone calls rather than use the internet to connect.

• While there isn’t a visual to match the verbal, still some elements of the non-verbal language are present to give us hints at the nuances of the message: the rhythm, tone, volume of the voice, these are all indicators of the importance of the message transmitted.
• Also, not getting a visual allows us to focus on other significant characteristics,  such as the creativity,  the  sense of humor etc.  of the person at the other end of the line.
• A higher level of comfort derives precisely from the fact that having no visual also means having fewer rules than face-to-face communication. The fewer the rules, the more at ease we feel, the easier we communicate and so on.

So it’s true, we don’t get visual contact while talking on the phone (yet!) and that may have some negative implications,  but we shouldn’t underestimate the positives and the fact that, after all, in an overly technical world, a simple device such as the telephone allows us to socialize, to communicate in order to maintain relationships.

Especially long distance ones.