CHANGES IN THE TELEPHONE CALLING PATTERNS OF ADOLESCENT GIRLS

It is commonly believed that adolescent girls now call adolescent boys on a regular basis and this represents a change in behavior from prev ious generations. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that during the last 40 years the incidence has increased. A sample o f current students from a Southern urban commuter university was inter viewed to determine their telephone use patterns. The changes in calli ng behavior among this sample indicates a transition period between a time when adolescent girls perceived their parents as disapproving of their calling boys (they placed few calls) to a time when adolescent g irls perceived their parents as approving (they evidenced many such ca lls). Based on the current age of respondents, the transition period w as calculated to be from 1964 to 1981. The results are discussed in re lation to changes in adolescent female gender roles in the United Stat es beginning in 1964.