Ongoing, Co-Constructed, and Coordinated Communication: Need Fulfillment in Texting Conversations

This research explored how perceptions of need fulfillment and interdependence are associated with communication characteristics in text exchanges (i.e. personalization, responsiveness, attentiveness). Study 1 used dyadic data from 82 pairs (N = 164) and found that communication characteristics positively associated with individuals’ emotional needs. Study 2 used experience sampling data (n = 744) from young adults (N = 54) and found reliance on others for emotional and inclusionary needs were associated with communication characteristics. Communication characteristics across all exchanges were associated with people who generally reported greater emotional dependence with communication partners.