If you feel a little knot in your stomach every time your phone rings but can tap out a text reply in seconds, you’re not alone. Surveys show that only one in ten Gen Z adults actually want to talk on the phone, while almost half admit phone calls make them anxious – they’d rather message, where they can think before they speak

Psychologists say that choice isn’t random. Our favourite communication channel quietly reflects how our minds work. Below are seven personality characteristics that research links to a “text-first” style.

1. You lean toward introversion (or just need quiet to recharge)

A classic 2007 study, Text or Talk?, found that people high in social anxiety and loneliness rate texting as more comfortable and less risky than voice calls.

Why? Calling demands quick, unedited answers and real-time emotional energy. Introverts often prefer to process internally, then respond, which a text thread allows. Media-richness theory backs this up: the “lean” channel of text removes vocal tone and immediate feedback, giving the sender space to think.

2. You’re a high self-monitor

MIT professor Sherry Turkle famously said, “Texting, email, posting… let us present the self as we want to be. We get to edit, delete, retouch – not too little, not too much, just right.”

If that line resonates, you probably score high on self-monitoring – constantly tuning your words for the effect they’ll have. Texting hands you the ultimate editing suite: back-spacing, tone-testing, even emojis for emotional colour. Self-monitors love that extra control.

3. Conscientiousness is part of your wiring

A 2023 meta-analysis of 48 studies on personality and tech use showed that conscientious people prefer digital tools that let them record, review and organise information.

Text threads act like built-in minutes of a meeting – timestamps, searchable history, and zero risk of forgetting what was said. If you’re the type who double-checks details, a written log simply feels safer than a fleeting phone chat.

4. You’re sensitive to social evaluation – and text lowers the stakes

New research on telephone anxiety found a clear pattern: the more we rely on digital messaging, the more anxious we feel about live phone calls. Participants high in apprehension actively avoided calls and defaulted to texts.