No matter where you are, it's not hard to find someone looking down at their phone, texting away. But rest assured; the good old fashioned phone call is still alive and well, even among New Jersey's younger generations.

LDProd, ThinkStock
LDProd, ThinkStock
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Everyone knows at least one person who'd rather use their thumbs than their voice to conduct a conversation. They ignore an incoming phone call, just to send a text message two minutes later to the person who called.

These people, however, appear to be in the minority. Speaking to a sample of students at Monmouth University, we found the traditional phone call hasn't lost its appeal.

"I just prefer phone calls over text messages," said Valeria Estepan, 21. "And I would rather a phone call because I feel like they're taking time out to speak to you; it's more personal."

Estepan said texting certainly has its place in unimportant scenarios, but for real conversations, such as with her mother, hearing a voice is crucial.

"I feel like (texting) is just a faster way," said Sydney Martinez, 19. "Sometimes it's annoying to walk and text."

"If it's something important, something that needs to get across quickly, call," added 20-year-old Anthony Amato.

According to sociology professor Deborah Carr at Rutgers University, some people view phone calls as an intrusion these days. Why spend 10-20 minutes with the phone to your ear when you can get the answers you want, sometimes in an instant, without the commitment or muttering a single word?

"They don't want to talk, they don't want to speak in real time," Carr explained. "You can control the duration of it. You can stop it before it really gets out of control."

However, Carr said, texting chips away at solid communication skills and the messages can easily be misinterpreted.

"Phone, or better yet face-to-face, is really considered the best form of communication," Carr said. "You can convey emotions. You can explain what you mean."

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