‘Phubbing’ (phone snubbing) is a real issue and it is affecting our relationships.
The other day I told someone a story that had happened ‘IRL’. At the end of the story, my friend asked me what the heck ‘IRL’ meant. I told her: ‘In Real Life’.
We both laughed – how sad is it that today we have to say that something happened ‘IRL’ to clarify it didn’t happen on a screen in front of us.
So much of our social activity and attention is taken up by our screens. There is nothing worse than going out to dinner or socialising 'IRL' with your friends and family only to have them absorbed in their phone as opposed to having fun conversation with you.
It happens though. All the time. And there's new research that proves it's really affecting our relationships.
Dr Oz, The Good Life says that researchers at Baylor University conducted two surveys about 'phubbing'. In the first survey they discovered that a partner considers someone to be 'phubbing' them if they either have a phone in their hand or if they have a phone in eyesight.
Ultimately the study showed that if you don't put your phone away when spending time with your partner, you may end up in a solo relationship with said phone.
The second survery conducted looked in to the effects of phone snubbing. The results were a sad reflection of our society. It showed 46 per cent of people in the survey had been 'phubbed' by their partners, and 22 per cent admitted that it was a cause of conflict in their relationship.
While you may not think that checking Facebook quickly, flicking through Instagram or replying to a message you forgot about from this morning is a big deal, it is.
Phone snubbing is the new social faux pas, and we need to make sure it doesn't start ruining our closest relationships. Because, as I said before, it could become the only relationship you have. You'll have no more 'IRL' stories to tell.
When was the last time you 'phubbed' someone or got 'phubbed' by someone?