Generational habits have always shaped how people connect, but the shift from phone calls to texting is especially stark. For Monica O’Brien, a communications scholar based in southwest Florida, the contrast has become part of her research and her daily life.
“For Gen Xers, using the phone was a privilege,” she said. “Every kid dreamed of having a phone in their bedroom. I probably had a hundred numbers memorized, and now I can’t remember anyone’s.”
O’Brien recalls her father being strict about phone use, a reminder that in the 1970s and ’80s, making a call was not just convenience but standard. Today, she sees that context missing from her younger coworkers’ experiences.
“A lot of them feel anxiety about answering the phone on the sales floor,” she said. “They just never had to learn those skills. They’re so used to screens.”
That difference in comfort is borne out in research. A survey conducted by the recruitment firm Robert Walters found that 59% of young professionals prefer to use email or messaging instead of phone calls, and about half report feeling uncomfortable making business calls. Only 16% said phone conversations are an effective use of time. Older workers, by contrast, often worry that fewer calls and in-person meetings undermine relationships.
The split between generations appears in personal life as well. A 2023 YouGov poll covering 17 countries found that 40% of people said text messages were their most-used method of staying in touch with loved ones. Voice calls came in second at 29%. Among 18-to-24-year-olds, nearly half favored texting, while adults over 55 were more likely to pick up the phone.
For Keisha R., a Gen Xer from Berkeley, the choice depends on context.
“Texting is definitely more convenient,” she said. “I can schedule a text and communicate when I’m available.”
That balance between efficiency and intimacy captures the current divide. Texting offers flexibility and control, but the human voice conveys emotion that words on a screen can’t always deliver.
O’Brien recognizes both.
“I’m actually a Gen Xer who likes to text a lot,” she said. “But if I have to have a serious conversation with someone, it’s better not to text because things can get misinterpreted.”
Gen Xers, O’Brien argues, stand out for their versatility: Raised on phone calls but fluent in texting, they occupy a unique middle ground between the call-oriented Baby Boomers and the text-first Gen Zers.
“We can do it all. We’re in that sweet spot,” she said.
For Anna Trinh, who is in her early 20s, the calculation is very different. Texting is not just convenient—it is low-pressure, safe and even creative. Saying most of her discomfort stems from social anxiety, her experience echoes that of many people her age.
“I find that texting is a low-pressure form of communication, especially when compared to calls. It allows for a lot of freedom,” Trinh said.
She described the practical benefits of being able to respond on her own schedule.
“I can choose when to text back,” she said. “If I’m busy or if I’m not feeling up to responding yet, I can reply at my own convenience. This is a benefit to the other party as well.”
Texting also allows her to be mindful and expressive in ways calls cannot. She described the joy in being more mindful of what she says and using memes to creatively convey how she is feeling with friends. Safety and privacy are also factors for her. Trinh pointed to the rising number of spam and scam calls, as well as potential AI misuse of voice clips.
“There’s been a lot of scams nowadays, which is another reason why I really don’t like phone calls,” she said. “Tech is advancing rapidly, and there’s been talks of people using AI to take voice clips to impersonate others. Not only that, but I get a TON of spam calls from random VOIP numbers every day.”
Her “motto” captures her generation’s approach to phone calls: “If it’s that important, they’ll leave a voicemail,” she said.
Statistics reinforce her experience. A 2022 survey from Communication Research Reports of 18-to-24-year-olds found that 81% reported feeling anxiety before making a phone call, while most reported texting as their preferred method of communication. While older adults continue to rely on calls, young adults treat the ring with caution or avoid it entirely.
The ring of a phone may be less common among the youth today, but it has not disappeared. Instead, it competes with pings, vibrations and unread notification bubbles. For some, it provokes anxiety. For others, it signals intimacy. For many, like O’Brien, Keisha and Trinh, the real skill lies in being able to switch between modes depending on the moment.
“I think the goal is not to lose the ability to talk,” O’Brien said. “You need to be able to do both. There’s a lot you can tell from someone’s voice that you’ll never get from a text.”
Still some, like San Jose Baby Boomer Alison England, are firmly rooted in old-school ways. She believes texting is “lazy.”
“I do not even own a cell phone,” England said. “I have a landline. Personally I hate the idea of being reduced to a text recipient.”
Still, there are Gen Zers who prefer calls, Boomers who favor text and a spectrum of habits in between. O’Brien reiterates that the focus should not be on the generational divide itself, but on bridging the differences so that everyone can communicate effectively in a variety of settings.
“You need to be able to switch,” O’Brien said. “That’s what makes you a good communicator.”
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