People’s cell phone manners (or lack thereof) hurt their most important relationships, according to new research out of Baylor University.
Researchers at the school performed two surveys. The first, of 308 adults, scoped out a scale of what researchers called “Partner Phubbing” behavior. The term refers to the practice of zoning out (or snubbing) one’s partner in order to focus on the all-important Android or iOS device. Examples of these behaviors include placing the phone face up and in view while sitting with one’s partner. Another is checking the smartphone whenever the conversation lulled.
I know: Guilty. On both counts. But come on, the latest Apple(AAPL) models are just sooooo beguiling, right?
But back to the point: A second survey of 145 adults, including some who took the first survey, found that nearly half (46.3%) said their partners “phubbed” them. More than a third (36.6%) said the behavior depressed them at least sometimes. And just under quarter (22.6% ) said the behavior caused problems in the relationship. (Actually sort of shocked that that percentage was so low, but whatever.)
The study, called “My life has become a major distraction from my cell phone: Partner phubbing and relationship satisfaction among romantic partners” by James Roberts, and professor of marketing and Meredith David, assistant professor of marketing, was published in Computers in Human Behavior
Quoted in a Baylor news report, Roberts said.
“What we discovered was that when someone perceived that their partner phubbed them, this created conflict and led to lower levels of reported relationship satisfaction. These lower levels of relationship satisfaction, in turn, led to lower levels of life satisfaction and, ultimately, higher levels of depression.”
So this research finds that people find other people’s smartphone usage annoying. But didn’t we already know that?
So, now you want to know more about the latest iPhone right? Check out the video.
Subscribe to Data Sheet, Coins2Day’s daily newsletter on the business of technology.
