Social Differences in CMC: a Case Study of Japanese Mobile Phone E-mail

Abstract

This study investigates how people in different social groups use computer-mediated communication (CMC) in their communication, using Japanese mobile phone e-mail exchanges as an example. The data corpus for this study—43,295 mails for communication purposes from 60 Japanese young people—is analysed, including non-parametric statistical analysis (Mann-Whitney U test and Steel-Dwass test). As for intergroup differences, Keitai-mail are found to be used differently by different age and gender groups. Women create longer texts with more emoticons and non-standard usage of language than men do. At the same time, they also change their style of composition based on the interlocutors’ gender. These differences suggest that code-switching is actively applied in Keitai-mail communication. Other differences found among different gender and age groups relate to what kind of topics they mainly discuss in Keitai-mail: the topics which they generally choose or which are even unconsciously chosen are reflections of their lifestyle. This study illustrates the different uses of a CMC practice based on users’ properties, and further experimental studies (e.g. structural equation modelling) will elucidate more detailed mechanisms of communication practices, or longitude clinical research will evaluate the factors relating to CMC how critical and prolonged they are, with better treatment outcomes.