Guilty of picking up your phone in mid-conversation? Whether you do it knowingly or unknowingly, this habit has adverse social consequences. This otherwise simple act of checking your phone and ignoring the person in a face-to-face conversation is known as “phubbing.” Phubbing is a combination of the words “phone” and “snubbing.”

A study published in Computers in Human Behavior explored this seemingly innocuous behaviour of checking the phone instead of paying attention to the person talking, uncovering the harmful impact it can have on interpersonal relationships. The person being ignored or ‘phubbed’ starts to view the person checking the phone or ‘phubber’ in a negative light.

Checking the phone mid-conversation may be met with casual side-eyes or inconspicuous frowns, but phubbing has more underlying consequences that may not mean well for the relationship. Let’s see what’s the negative consequence of this problematic habit.

Dehumanisation and alienation

In a highly simulated digital world, distraction is inevitable with the shrinking attention span. Phubbing can be seen in a wide array of relationships, between romantic partners, parents and children, or even coworkers. The person being ignored feels neglected and alienated due to the blatant disinterest.

The study elaborated that phubbed individuals may also begin to dehumanize the person ignoring them, as they start to see them as less sincere and warm, perceiving them as less humans. It may jeopardize the bond of the relationship, as the person being ignored becomes ambiguous and uncertain about the other's actual interest. They ponder whether the phubber ignoring them is bored, disinterested, or preoccupied with something more important. And this uncertainty can lead to misunderstanding and eventually make them feel distant from the phubber.

Lashing out

The researchers conducted a comprehensive examination of social media posts, surveys, and various experiments to understand the consequences of dehumanizing the phubber. They uncovered that the words the phubbed used to describe the phubber did not have any human qualities. They are seen as devoid of warmth, eventually lowering the perception of ‘human-ness.’ This dehumanisation is a result of ambiguous or uncertain feelings the phubbed experiences.

And now, the grievance of being phubbed or ignored manifests in aggression towards the person ignoring. So, it shows how phubbing has serious psychological effects, causing hostility and disconnection in the relationship.

The researchers urge individuals to prioritise quality, face-to-face interactions and to be mindful of their digital behavior. Meaningful connections can be shattered by this simple habit. By being aware of digital habits and focusing on social interactions without distractions, relationships can be enriched.

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