A new trend might be having a negative effect on your relationship, and you may not even be aware of it.
Known as ‘phubbing,’ this trend involves a social faux pas that many of us have likely committed more than once.
The term may be unfamiliar, so let’s paint a picture to explain what ‘phubbing’ entails.
Picture yourself on a date, whether it’s a special night out with your long-term partner or a first-time meeting with someone you connected with on Tinder.
You’re seated around a candlelit table in an upscale restaurant or bar, with soothing background music or perhaps the sounds of a mediocre metal band filling the air.
Everything is going well, you’re enjoying yourselves, and there’s potential that this person could be ‘the one.’ If they already are, then it’s a great opportunity to relish each other’s company.
But then, your phone buzzes, and despite the romantic atmosphere, you can’t resist the urge to check it.
You give in and start texting back.
Congratulations – you’ve just engaged in phubbing.
The term ‘phubbing’ is a blend of ‘phone’ and ‘snubbing,’ meaning you are snubbing someone by using your phone instead.
It’s likely you don’t need to be told that this behavior is quite rude, but experts have analyzed the specific impact it can have on relationships.
A 2022 study explored the effects of ‘phubbing.’ The authors stated: “The phenomenon of phubbing, which hits individuals’ social interactions, is an important risk factor for romantic relationships.
“In other words, partners’ being too busy with their smartphones during their romantic relationships harms relationship satisfaction and perceived romantic relationship quality.”
Moreover, phubbing your partner could even decrease your overall happiness.
So it’s not just the person being phubbed who suffers, but also the one doing the phubbing.
The study further noted: “The results… indicate that partner phubbing had a significant indirect effect on life satisfaction through perceived romantic relationship quality and relationship satisfaction.
“These results reveal that relationship satisfaction and perceived romantic relationship quality decrease in individuals who are exposed to partner phubbing behaviors, and that decreased relationship satisfaction and romantic relationship quality harm life satisfaction.”