Phubbing as a Possible Threat to Close Relationships’ Welfare

Abstract

The paper focuses on a new phenomenon of modern digital society — phubbing, that is, the manifestation of partner neglect through distraction to a gadget during real communication. The analysis of foreign psychological approaches to its research has been carried out: phubbing is understood as dependence on a mobile phone / Smartphone and social networks; as a result of Internet addiction and problems with self-control; as a new social norm. We present the results of an empirical study of phubbing in close relationships (N=46). Hypothesis: intimacy and attachment to a romantic partner as close relationships` qualitative characteristics increase the sensitivity to a partner`s phubbing. Methods: Partner phubbing (Roberts, David, 2016; Ekimchik, Kryukova, 2019); Multi-Item Measure of Adult Romantic Attachment (Brennan, Shaver, 1995; Ekimchik, Kryukova, 2009); Inclusion of Other in the Self Scale (Aron, Aron, Smollan, 1992; Ekimchik, Kryukova, Zakharchenko, 2018). Results: men more often than women estimate the partners` phubbing negatively. It is found that adult romantic attachment characteristics predict the level of partners` phubbing.