Phubbing

Phubbing is a problem.

Phubbing is a portmanteau of ‘phone’ and ‘snubbing’ and occurs when conversation is interrupted by attention being given to a smart phone rather than the person you’re with. When it’s your loved one who bears the brunt of this compulsive action, it’s called phubbing - partner phone snubbing.

It’s a phenomenon directly resulting from the emergence of ‘phone addiction’ that, according to an extensive review of recent studies on the condition, is a problem tightly linked to unprecedented technological development over the past decade.

Unlike other forms of behavioural addiction such as gambling or gaming, in the same report it was noted that phone addiction seemingly affects young, extroverted women more than anyone else.

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A recent study on how smart phone use impacts on romantic relationships has found that ‘phubbing’ decreases relationship satisfaction overall - especially for people who are already insecure in their relationships - and indirectly impacts depression. Of the 450 people surveyed in the high profile Baylor University study, more than 46 percent reported being ‘phubbed’ by their partner and 22 percent of relationships experienced conflict as a direct result.

“There are three important connection factors that will give us a sense of satisfaction in our relationships. The first one is accessibility, that you’re both open and listening to one another,” Julie [Hart from The Hart Centre] says. “The second is responsiveness, as in you both empathise and try to understand how the other feels, as in 'get’ each other, and the third is engagement, so you're both making the time to be fully attentive to each other.

“Phubbing interferes with all three of these important factors so it’s no surprise to me that people are feeling less satisfied with their relationships because they're just not having quality time, and they're not feeling their partner 'gets' them or is there for them because there's always this constant distraction away.”

"Phubbing" is a silly term for a real problem.

Constantly messing with a phone when you're with a loved one is more than annoying. It's rude and it's selfish.

Before a concert or a play, people have their faces in their phones. At restaurants, people have their faces in their phones. At family gatherings, people have their faces in their phones. I do not.

A smart phone is great but not if you're a slave to it.