GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - If you’ve texted or scrolled through your phone while talking to someone, then you are guilty of phubbing, otherwise known as phone snubbing.
Phubbing might seem harmless and even almost normal, but it can make you feel disconnected from the person you’re trying to have a conversation with.
A study published in Computers in Human Behavior found that texting during a conversation made the talk less satisfying.
Here's why phubbing is considered bad for our mental health:
- Threatens our fundamental needs: a sense of belonging, self-esteem and meaningful existence
- Makes people feel excluded
It can also hurt relationships with your significant others. Studies have found that when your partner is on the phone while you’re talking that means that they are prioritizing something else over you.
And phubbing doesn't just affect the person being phubbed. It affects the phubber, too. A study found phubbers who used their phones during a meal with friends or family enjoyed their meal less and felt disconnected from everyone at the table.
We asked you to vote in our live interactive poll, 53 percent of you admit to being a phubber.
Remember, it’s never too late to start putting down your phone and being present in the conversation that’s taking place in person.
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