You're out to dinner with your partner and your phone buzzes... an
incoming text. Do you glance down to read it? Do you text back?
How often is your phone distracting you from your romantic partner?
Today's technology has made our lives so much easier, but it's added a new complication to romantic relationships. One-on-one time can feel crowded when text messages interrupt, email notifications vibrate, and the social intrigue of Instagram or Facebook pulls people away from each other and into the world of the Internet.
A new term has emerged to recognize this problem, which will likely challenge more and more couples over the next few years. Roberts and David (2016) have coined the term Pphubbing, to recognize the the toxic behavior of "partner phone snubbing," - being distracted by your phone in the presence of your romantic partner.
This is a common problem, but prior to this investigation it had not yet been subjected to empirical scrutiny. Evidence suggests that Pphubbing predicts poorer relationship satisfaction, potentially because of conflict it induces (Roberts & David, 2016).
It's no doubt that conflict can occur from Pphubbing - think about that annoying feeling of rejection or loneliness you might experience when your partner starts texting when you're out on a date. If you're someone with an anxious attachment style, this may be particularly challenging for you: anxiously-attached individuals tend to report greater cell phone conflict in their relationships than those who are more secure.
Relationship health is not the only victim of Pphubbing. The practice may inversely affect personal well-being as well. Depression, for example, was found to be higher among those whose relationships suffered from Pphubbing conflict. Life satisfaction, too, was found to be indirectly affected by Pphubbing.
With so very many potential negative outcomes of phone use during romantic relationships, it's a good idea to think about your own behavior. Are you keeping one eye or ear on your phone when you're out with your partner?
Maybe try breaking up with your phone (just a bit) so that your partner won't be tempted to break up with you.
How often is your phone distracting you from your romantic partner?
Today's technology has made our lives so much easier, but it's added a new complication to romantic relationships. One-on-one time can feel crowded when text messages interrupt, email notifications vibrate, and the social intrigue of Instagram or Facebook pulls people away from each other and into the world of the Internet.
A new term has emerged to recognize this problem, which will likely challenge more and more couples over the next few years. Roberts and David (2016) have coined the term Pphubbing, to recognize the the toxic behavior of "partner phone snubbing," - being distracted by your phone in the presence of your romantic partner.
This is a common problem, but prior to this investigation it had not yet been subjected to empirical scrutiny. Evidence suggests that Pphubbing predicts poorer relationship satisfaction, potentially because of conflict it induces (Roberts & David, 2016).
It's no doubt that conflict can occur from Pphubbing - think about that annoying feeling of rejection or loneliness you might experience when your partner starts texting when you're out on a date. If you're someone with an anxious attachment style, this may be particularly challenging for you: anxiously-attached individuals tend to report greater cell phone conflict in their relationships than those who are more secure.
Relationship health is not the only victim of Pphubbing. The practice may inversely affect personal well-being as well. Depression, for example, was found to be higher among those whose relationships suffered from Pphubbing conflict. Life satisfaction, too, was found to be indirectly affected by Pphubbing.
With so very many potential negative outcomes of phone use during romantic relationships, it's a good idea to think about your own behavior. Are you keeping one eye or ear on your phone when you're out with your partner?
Maybe try breaking up with your phone (just a bit) so that your partner won't be tempted to break up with you.
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