JJNN 21 June 11th, 2008

Welcome again to JJNN for Wednesday June 11th, 2008. You ever have one of those days where no one calls you or you get no emails? Today I am going to talk about just that.

So, lately none of your friends or family have gotten into contact with you after you emailed them. How long do you go before you start to feel anxiety about the missing email? A news story that tries to look into that question can be found here.

Four hundred sixty nine internet users were polled by iShare from May 27th to May 29th about they way they normally get into contact with their friends and family. It turns out that over 80% of the people in the poll answered that they use email a lot more than the phone. I know I personally use mail a lot more than the phone. I love my friends and all, but emailing uses a lot less energy most of the time.

The polling company than went on to ask how many of the 469 people actually ignored an email of friend or family. What percent do you think would actually do something like that? 20%? 40%? Could it be 60%? Nope. It is about 80%. I can't really say anything though. I know I have ignored an email before. In fact I am doing so at the moment. I am sure almost everyone in the world has for at least a while. Of course people have good reasons for ignoring emails. The top reasons are things like "I was working when I got the mail," or "I was sleeping when I got the mail." But of course, "I didn't really feel like mailing at the time" is also there.

Lastly, the polling company asked people how long after they send a mail do they start feeling anxiety if a reply does not come back. The results of that question are seen below:

49.7% - Never feel anxiety
29.6% - Feel anxiety if a reply does not come back in 6 hours
13.0% - Feel anxiety if a reply does not come back in an hour
4.9% - Feel anxiety if a reply does not come back in a half and hour
2.1% - Feel anxiety if a reply does not come back in 10 minutes
0.6% - Has never used email

First what gets me is that this poll was given on the internet and 0.6% of the people in the poll have never used email. What? That has nothing to do with the story? Sorry...Sorry...

Well the good thing is that about half the people never ever feel anxiety. I can sort of see worrying about an email that doesn't come back in 6 or so hours, but I wonder about those people that start to feel anxiety after just 10 minutes. People are busy and can't always be running to their computer or cell phone to be writing replies within 10 minutes. I guess these people just have to calm down a little.

What about all of you? How does it does it take you guys to worry (even a little bit) after you send an email and no reply comes back? For me it would probably be 4 or 5 hours. I think that is enough time for almost anyone to get to their computer or phone and write a quick reply. Post a comment and tell me your time and reason.

On a side note, I wonder if this study could somehow be connected with nomophobia (the fear of being out of cellphone contact). It is not quite the same, but I think that people that want a reply within 10 minutes might have come version of this. The article compares it more to an addiction to email than a fear.

Any way, it is now time for the word of the day. Today's word is　依存症(いぞんしょう). It is pronounced izonshou and means addiction. I think about the only thing that I am addicted to is those snacks that people bring into the office. I could eat those things all day.

That's it for today. See you next time at JJNN.