Scroll, swipe, speak: The influence of instagram reels consumption speed on the verbal communication patterns of digital adolescents
Keywords:
Instagram Reels, Short-form video, Rapid Content Consumption, Verbal Communication Patterns, Digital AdolescentsAbstract
Background: The rapid growth of short-form video platforms has transformed how digital adolescents consume information and communicate in everyday life. Instagram Reels, characterized by algorithm-driven recommendations, endless scrolling, and rapid content consumption, has become one of the most frequently used digital media platforms among adolescents. Despite the increasing popularity of Instagram Reels, empirical evidence regarding its relationship with adolescents' verbal communication patterns remains limited.
Aim: This study aimed to examine the influence of Instagram Reels consumption speed on the verbal communication patterns of digital adolescents.
Method: A quantitative cross-sectional survey design was employed involving 200 adolescents aged 15–24 years who actively used Instagram Reels. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed using simple linear regression.
Result: The findings revealed that Instagram Reels consumption speed had a positive and statistically significant association with verbal communication patterns (β = 0.482, p < .001), explaining 23.2% of the variance in the dependent variable (R² = .232). These findings suggest that adolescents who consume Instagram Reels more rapidly tend to exhibit differences in verbal communication patterns, including speech rate, speech fluency, clarity of expression, responsiveness, and message organization. From the perspectives of Information Processing Theory, Cognitive Load Theory, and Attention Theory, the findings indicate that repeated exposure to rapidly changing audiovisual content may be associated with cognitive processing mechanisms that influence everyday verbal communication.
Conclusion: This study contributes to the growing literature by extending research on short-form video platforms beyond educational and marketing contexts and provides empirical evidence regarding the relationship between rapid Instagram Reels consumption and adolescents' verbal communication in digital environments.
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