A Preliminary Survey on Instant Messenger Use by Young People (2)

—An Interviews with 15-, 18- and 21-year-olds

Abstract

This is a preliminary survey, an interview on the use of Instant messengers (IM) such as LINE; the goal of the overall study is to longitudinally reveal the relationship between the IM tool use and youth personality traits. In the fall of 2023, ten 15-year-olds, five 18-year-olds, and twelve 21-year-olds were interviewed individually or in groups. The results can be summarized as follows. LINE and Instagram were used more frequently, but the former was used to communicate with close friends or parents, while the latter was used to communicate with others. Moreover, LINE was a chatting tool for 15-year-olds, but for 21-year-olds it was simply a tool for communicating their needs. Smartphones were most used before the age of 15, but the younger the age group, the earlier they stated using them. Overall, interviewees were cautious in their IM communications to avoid misunderstandings. Further research should focus not only on conformity but also empathy and failures in communication.