Why intentionally delay responding to messages?

[Anonymous]

Have you ever received a text from someone and intentionally waited to respond. What is the point in doing that? I received a response 8 days later from a guy.

Updates

+1 y

Oh yeah the message was simply a Happy New Years message that he responded to, 8 days later.

[PLAGoAway]

It's just one of the super old parts of texting culture. The delayed text is saying "I'm a busy nonchalant person" but it really means "I'm trying to restrain my thirsty self". Delayed texts also occur if someone thinks you indicated the delayed text first. It's just 2 people having a contest to see who's can come across as the least desperate. It could also just be genuine social anxiety. Try calling them.

[PLAGoAway]

*initiated not indicated

[random56286]

I do that. Sometimes it is because I want to be able to have time to reflect or don't want destractions. Texting a girl, I might feel a bit intimidated and wait just as if I were standing at your front door but afraid to knock. Don't expect a rational explanation though. 8 days seems excessive.

[potatoisme]

I usually do that when I don't wanna chat, but just message. Because chatting makes it hard for me to focus on whatever else I'm doing, but with messaging u can both repeat whenever u can. But I would never reply after 8 days !!
So in your case he might just be a slow texter

[Nadia1994]

I basically think there are 2 reasons why people do this:

They want to appear busy and not eager or they're just not interested in talking to you and are replying out of politeness. Though 8 days is a bit too much lol obviously that guy is not interested.

[Anonymous]

If a girl genuinely really really likes you, you don't need to play games to keep her. I'd say that works for people who aren't as interested but like games, it provokes their curiosity a bit then.

[Opinion Owner]

With someone that already likes you it probably has the opposite intended effect.

[Futron]

I get nervous when texting back and forth- sometimes I need time to think, and I type slower than a grandma with carpal tunnel.

[D_Bone_Steak]

I thought only girls do that... as far as I know they do it to not give the impression that they're too interested as some sort of reverse tactic to make someone more interested in getting you interested.

It's head games of an extremely childish level and I file it under 'G' for gay.

[FS92IT]

I usually take my time answering messages, depending on: how many, how well I know that person, how many other people have written to me, how busy I am in the day/week/month, how interested I am, where she (or he) wrote me (WA>FB>dating/social apps).. Usually I answered within the day though. Sometimes I close the notification and more rarely after this I forget about it and don't reply until I remember or I reopen the app (with whatsapp it doesn't happen because I use it daily)

[Anonymous]

I have been doing other things and forgot to answer for a time before.

The only time I haven't answered within a week was a message I just didn't want to answer. I didn't know her that well anyway so not answering seemed easier then telling some random girl I wasn't intrested. Someone else told me to do so because "she was a nice girl and was upset she hadn't heard from me". So I was nice, and slowly let her down.

Of coruse the situation might be different for you.

[Anonymous]

Am not a texter so take this view with a grain of salt

PHONE someone if too distant to walk-talk-face-face if important
USPS/Email/Text someone that will in time respond catch-as-catch-can

To expect SOP responses from everyone or even someONE 24/7 is impossible, even IF you were their baby in a crib and they, your parents

[Opinion Owner]

Update seems VERY important omission from your Q
in fact WOW so much so
that it changes my opinion to
a) he's tired of continual partial information tests that waste his time
b) he has two phones and you/others have only phone #2's number - the one he uses only to kill time

[MrEAusB]

The point of that is to not appear needy, and maybe also to be a little bit of a challenge for the girl. Even if you think you'd like it another way. You'd probably loose your interest in really short time if you had the feeling that he is needy and that you can have him whenever you want.

[livingtrust]

yup. about 10-15 minutes to think and take away some of the pressure of texting back immediately.
never intentionally more than that

[Manlymillennial54]

I only respond immediately if it's a direct inquiry, like work or a good friend wants to come over.

But if it's a chick trying to get emotionally intimate, and I don't desire her attention, I'm not apt to immediately responding.

[Manlymillennial54]

88888

[Wolfy39]

either because I am busy and need to do some thinking before answering... or just need more thinking before answering lol

[NineBreaker]

I was expecting something like 3 or 6 hours, or a whole day. 8 days is too much. It can happen, but there better be a reasonable explanation.

[UltimateGohan]

People do this play hard to get shit a lot these days

[vjedi]

What's the point? Because my life doesn't revolve around my phone.

8 days is a little excessive though to be honest.

[ToasterMcLovin]

There's two segments to an answer to this number one if you replied to quick then you're looking like a needy bitch, number to is sometimes we just forget

[lovejoy31]

The only thing is like a brarevment or clearing the decks with another person in ones life fortunitly I have not got that problem. honesty is the best as no one then has to lie.

[Tomsaliens]

In my experience, we just get distracted. I see your message and then something else catches my eye and I turn to that.

[ZELLxoxo]

Yeah as simple as that

[Jamaicob]

I've only intentionally done it if I have other things I have to do, or I see the conversation going absolutely nowhere.

[Anonymous]

Some people do it to build attraction. But it's stupid.

[Chaz269]

If it's not a time-sensitive matter, why not?

[casscade]

I don't know
Like at all.

[Alvareinxs]

Some people, you know, are dicks

[Burner1992]

Best answer I've seen yet.

[Anonymous]

He is just not interested or he is extremly busy

[LegateLanius]

Because people are stupid

[IAmCluelessToo]

I really can't be bothered

[MiThMo]

To not seem overly clingy

[ve6as9]

To build anticipation

[Dredg]

Priorities