The study has shown that messaging has increased from 65% of adults in 2009 to 72% in 2010. Despite this, the average American adult only sends ten messages a day, compared to the average teenager’s fifty. 

 

In addition to this, Pew found that teenagers and twenty somethings are more likely to be ‘heavy texters”. Just 5% of adults send and receive up to 200 messages per day; this is in stark contrast to 15% among children between 12 and 17 and 24% among teenagers and young adults between 18 and 24. In comparison, just 3% of adults between 25 and 29 do the same.

 

Although we cannot be sure that American trends echo those in our own country, it seems likely that South African youth with ample access to cellular devices and contracts would display similar habits.