The findings have prompted fears that increased texting is resulting in poor academic performance, increased anxiety and sleep deprivation among others, according to The New York Times.

However, Linda Jackson, an MSU professor of psychology, whose research has examined potential consequences posed by the use of communication technologies, said there have been no significant findings supporting claims that increased texting could produce negative side effects.

“People enjoy text messaging and there’s no harm to it as long as it’s not distracting you from something you should be doing,” she said.

“It’s just one other activity that can pull you away from other social and academic factors.”

The reason for the small amount of research into potential consequences of increased cell phone usage and text messaging is because the technology is fairly new, Jackson said.

“I think we’re beginning to see how important it is,” she said.

“Students can get carried away. There might be more of a detachment from real life because of text messaging.”

Communication senior Angela Perez, said she sends and receives about 100 text messages per day.

She said although she doesn’t see ana immediate cause for alarm, it might become a bigger issue in the future.

“It’s not to the point where it’s a crisis,” she said. “I text more just because I can communicate with so many more people and get more done without having to call people.”

She said although she averages 100 texts sent per day, that number can reach 300 because she works in event promotion. In spite of seeing no negative effects of texting on an emotional level, she admits minor physical ailments as a result of texting.

“I was just saying my wrist hurts so much because of texting,” she said. “I would even think it could cause eye strain because you’re focusing so much on the small, tiny letters and you’re not focusing on much else.”

Alex Lockwood, 17, of East Lansing said he averages 200 text messages per day, but doesn’t see any negative impacts other than occasional social discord.

“It’s definitely distracting,” he said.

“It’s a lot easier to start problems through texting because you can hide behind the monitor of a phone.”

He said he texts so much because of the ease of communication it provides compared with calling or e-mailing.

“You can be wherever you want whenever you want and communicate with whoever,” he said.

Psychology senior Diana Perilla said text messaging while in class can be detrimental to academic performance, but said she sees no cause for alarm.

“At times, you’re in class and you’re bored, then you text your friends and you don’t pay attention, so it might be bad when it comes to academics,” she said, adding that she sends and receives an average of 50 text messages per day.

To geological sciences senior Cameron Nolin, academic success can be affected by text messaging depending on how many messages a person sends daily and monthly.

“If they spend all their time doing it, then it’s going to eat up their time,” he said. “I don’t really pay for it and I don’t do it so I don’t run up my bill. If I need to tell somebody something, I just call them. I don’t think texting is really needed.”