‘Phubbing’ is the number one dating trend to avoid

It seems like every day there is a new dating trend that will ruin our relationships.

The latest is “phubbing” - a combination of “phone” and “snubbing” referring to being ignored by someone who is more focused on their phone than your conversation.

The quirk has even been the subject of a study, published in the journal Psychological Reports, which explains how it could ruin romantic relationships.

The study asked 308 people to assess their own life satisfaction, relationship satisfaction, and relationship quality, as compared to the level of phubbing they experience from their partners.

Being phubbed by one’s partner was associated with lower satisfaction with the romantic relationship, but that relationship was also perceived as being of lower quality overall. Further analysis found a link between romantic relationship satisfaction and life satisfaction.

"The results… indicate that partner phubbing had a significant indirect effect on life satisfaction through perceived romantic relationship quality and relationship satisfaction,” the paper explained.

“These results reveal that relationship satisfaction and perceived romantic relationship quality decrease in individuals who are exposed to partner phubbing behaviours, and that decreased relationship satisfaction and romantic relationship quality harm life satisfaction.”

Phubbing has also previously been linked to phone addiction and depression, poor self-esteem and mood in adolescents, and communication and relationship quality.

So put your phone down - it might just save your relationship.

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