SOME of us find those bouncing or flashing icons on computer screen to be disruptive and distracting. But apparently, many workers believe instant messaging causes less interruption than other forms of communication like phone calls, e-mail and talking face to face.

Instant messaging means an increase in the number of conversations, but those conversations tend to be shorter, said R. Kelly Garrett, an assistant professor of communication at Ohio State and a co-author of a study conducted by Ohio State University and the University of California. The study was published by The Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication (jcmc.indiana.edu).

“The key takeaway is that instant messaging has some benefits where many people had feared that it might be harmful,” Mr. Garrett told ScienceDaily.com.

The study does not say so outright, but even those who say they find instant messages to be annoying, or who are put off by its reputation as a vehicle for inane chatting, nevertheless often find it useful. It can be handy for getting a short question answered quickly without resorting to a time- and attention-consuming phone call.