A seriously annoying ‘trend’, which has been given the name ‘phubbing’, is ruining relationships and damaging people’s ‘life satisfaction’.
You know when you’re on a date, or spending time with your significant other and you’re talking away but you know damn well they’re not listening, because you’re getting one word answers like ‘yep’, ‘yeah’, all because they’re so engrossed in their phone?
Annoying isn’t it? Essentially, ‘phubbing’ is somebody who ignores the person they’re with in favour of their phone.
The term is formed by two words, snubbing and phone, because, well, it’s exactly what it is – and we all know somebody who does this, and if you don’t, well.. there’s every chance it’s you!
According to Baylor University, the phenomenon is a relationship killer and the Texan researchers say 70% of their sample of 143 individuals felt their partner’s phone interfered with their relationship.
In a study with the longest title ever; ‘My life has become a major distraction from my cell phone’: Partner phubbing and relationship satisfaction among romantic partners, it was found phubbing not only has a negative impact on relationship satisfaction, it has a negative impact on personal well-being.
Dr James Roberts, one of the study’s leads said:
The presence and use of cell phones are ever-increasing causing the boundaries that separate our work and other interests from our romantic relationships to become more and more blurred.
As a result, the occurrence of phubbing is nearly inevitable. In fact, from a sample of 143 individuals involved in romantic relationships, 70% responded that cell phones ‘sometimes,’ ‘often,’ ‘very often,’ or ‘all the time’ interfered in their interactions with their partners.
Phubbing is a new word meaning ‘ignoring your friends in favour of your mobile phone'. pic.twitter.com/Fxvp9syMhZ
— What The F*** Facts (@WhatTheFFacts) October 14, 2017
Roberts said simply looking at your phone when you’re with your partner can be ‘enough to harm your relationship’.
Almost 40% of the people surveyed in the research said they felt depressed as a result of being ‘phubbed.’
Dr Roberts added:
[Phubbing] can create a domino effect: As our study also showed, when we’re not happily in love, we are also less likely to be satisfied, overall, with life. We’re also more likely to report that we are depressed.
Put. the. phone. down.
