Use of Social Media: Communications methods of different age groups

This week, in doing work with one the universities in our area (Northern Kentucky University), I was made aware that the students with whom I am doing work spend more time on Facebook than in their e-mail application. These individuals are in their twenties.

My step son Alex (who is eighteen) sends and receives several hundred text messages daily. The fastest way for me to communicate with Alex is texting. He normally does not answer his smart phone when I call him. Often, he answers his text immediately.

I spend between two to six hours daily communicating with individuals via e-mail messages. I am 51 years of age. Most of my peers in business (who are in their thirties, forties, fifties, and sixties) tell me that e-mail is a main mode of communications for them. Because my time is at a premium, e-mail is my preferred mode of communications. I can make the necessary communications at a time convenient to me so as to work on items in order of priority. It also allows me to communicate while doing another activity that does not require much of my attention (e.g. while also attending a webinar).

For urgent communications, I use voice (cell phone or land line).

On of my conclusions is that the primary communications methods used by individuals is affected by the demands on their time. Some adults I know spend several hours on Facebook playing games (e.g. building their "farms"). Oh, to have the luxury of two to three free hours a day.

Alex, while he attends school 5 hours a day on the weekdays and works (at a fast food restaurant) 10 - 25 hours per week, has 50+ hours of free time (assuming 53 hours of sleep). Text away!

With 60 hours of my time each week committed to work, 2-4 hours of volunteer work, 0 - 10 hours of home (e.g. mulching our garden beds, ironing, fixing items, etc.). 10 - 30 hours of time with our children, 5 hours for exercise, and 7 hours of time for cleanliness and nutrition (e.g. showering, eating food), I have around 10 hours of free time each week (assuming 53 hours of sleep).

I surmise that the college students have 40+ hours of free time each week.

My general conclusion is that those who have the luxury of free time use social media (e.g. Plaxo, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, etc.) more often.

My feeling is that texting, because of the urgent nature of the request (i.e. like a phone call) is not used as frequently by those who have a lot of demands on their time.