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Can you connect with me now? How the presence of mobile communication technology influences face-to-face conversation quality

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Journal of Social and Personal Relationships
Authors:
Andrew K. Przybylski
Andrew K. Przybylski
Andrew K. Przybylski
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Netta Weinstein
Netta Weinstein
Netta Weinstein
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Abstract and Figures

Recent advancements in communication technology have enabled billions of people to connect over great distances using mobile phones, yet little is known about how the frequent presence of these devices in social settings influences face-to-face interactions. In two experiments, we evaluated the extent to which the mere presence of mobile communication devices shape relationship quality in dyadic settings. In both, we found evidence they can have negative effects on closeness, connection, and conversation quality. These results demonstrate that the presence of mobile phones can interfere with human relationships, an effect that is most clear when individuals are discussing personally meaningful topics.
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Article
Can you connect with
me now? How the
presence of mobile
communication
technology influences
face-to-face
conversation quality
Andrew K. Przybylski
Netta Weinstein
University of Essex, UK
Abstract
Recent advancements in communication technology have enabled billions of people to
connect over great distances using mobile phones, yet little is known about how the
frequent presence of these devices in social settings influences face-to-face interactions.
In two experiments, we evaluated the extent to which the mere presence of mobile
communication devices shape relationship quality in dyadic settings. In both, we found
evidence they can have negative effects on closeness, connection, and conversation
quality. These results demonstrate that the presence of mobile phones can interfere with
human relationships, an effect that is most clear when individuals are discussing person-
ally meaningful topics.
Keywords
Closeness, connection, conversation quality, face-to-face interactions, mobile phones,
relationship quality
Corresponding author:
Andrew K. Przybylski, Department of Psychology, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester CO4 3SQ,
UK.
Email: aprzyby@essex.ac.uk
Journal of Social and
Personal Relationships
30(3) 237–246
ªThe Author(s) 2012
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DOI: 10.1177/0265407512453827
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... Smartphones have become an integral part of our daily lives, with both positive and negative outcomes (Aoki and Downes 2003;Horwood and Anglim 2019;Przybylski and Weinstein 2013). These outcomes include positive effects, such as shortening physical distances in our social relationships, as well as negative effects, such as increasing emotional distance by causing interruptions in face-to-face interactions. ...
... This finding is consistent with existing research that phubbing may be associated with loneliness (Frackowiak et al. 2023;Maftei and Măirean 2023). In addition, phubbing may reduce the commitment of the person who is phubbed (Przybylski and Weinstein 2013). These findings support the hypothesis that unmet needs in a close relationship due to pphubbing behavior may lead to an increase in feelings of emotional loneliness, which may reduce an individual's commitment to the relationship. ...
How Does Being Phubbed Affect Commitment? Exploring the Roles of Emotional Loneliness and Relationship Satisfaction
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  • Jun 2025
  • J MARITAL FAM THER
Partner phubbing can be considered a current relational problem, particularly affecting romantic relationships. Further research is needed to fully understand the consequences of this behavior, which has been studied with many variables in the context of romantic relationships. In this study, the mediating effects of emotional loneliness and relationship satisfaction on how pphubbing affects relationship commitment were examined in 320 heterosexual participants. Hayes' PROCESS macro for SPSS (Model 6) was used to examine the multiple mediation model in the relationship between the variables. The study's results support the hypothesis that partner phubbing significantly reduces the phubee's (the partner being phubbed) commitment to the relationship through emotional loneliness and relationship satisfaction. To promote stronger relationship commitment, interventions that reduce emotional loneliness and increase relationship satisfaction may be helpful and it is also essential that we consider the risk of pphubbing.
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... Moreover, LA has been found to be related to social media addiction: social media addiction negatively affects romantic relationships because the use of social media increases the possibility of deceiving the partner [24] and could facilitate opportunities to control the partner every moment of the day. Greater use of social media may result in difficulty in shifting attention from activities on social media and often represents a reason for conflict in interpersonal relationships, damaging relational proximity, and lowering the quality of communication [25,26]. Indeed, insecure attachment styles represent a strong risk factor for symptoms of behavioral addictions such as problematic social media use [27] and are also associated with a vision of love characterized by obsession and dependence, typical of love/relationship addictions [22]. ...
... Moreover, we found that individuals with a lower level of resilience and poorer ability to overcome hurtful events might develop an intense fixation on their romantic partner as a coping mechanism for stress [16]. Overall, our model highlights the role of social media overuse in the development of LA, confirming previous studies demonstrating that more frequent use of social media affects interpersonal relationships, reducing relational proximity and quality of communication [25,26]. Moreover, excessive social media use may fuel jealousy, emotional dependence, and relational surveillance (e.g., knowledge about other people's activities during the day, more opportunities to control the partner at every moment of the day [16]), which, together, intensify attachment insecurity and obsessive tendencies [51], key characteristics of LA. ...
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... However, when people are distracted by smartphones and do not express responsive behaviors as their partners expected, their PPR might be affected. An experiment study showed that even having a smartphone around could negatively impact people's perceived understanding, respect, and responsiveness to the speaker in the conversation [22]. This finding was also demonstrated in a non-experimental study [23]. ...
Partner phubbing and quality of romantic relationship in emerging adults: testing the mediation role of perceived partner responsiveness and moderation role of received social support
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Background and aims The association between partner phubbing and the quality of romantic relationships (QR) is inconsistent in previous studies. Furthermore, the mechanisms underlying such an association are still unclear. The current study examined the association between partner phubbing and QR, the potential mediating role of perceived partner responsiveness (PPR), and the moderation effects of received social support (RSS) and gender in this association among emerging adults. Methods An online cross-sectional survey was conducted among 772 Chinese young adults with regular romantic partners (mean age = 21.54). Results The moderated mediation model showed that PPR mediated the negative association between partner phubbing and QR among females but not for males (indirect effect = -0.17, 95% CI [-0.24, -0.10], PM = 70.8%). RSS significantly moderated the positive association between PPR and QR in both females and males. In males, RSS significantly moderated the negative association between partner phubbing and QR and between partner phubbing and PPR. Conclusions This is the first study to test both PPR and RSS as potential mechanisms in the association between partner phubbing and QR, which underlines the potential interpersonal implications of partner phubbing among young couples. The results highlight the different associations and paths from partner phubbing to QR in males and females. Clinical trial number Not applicable.
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... For example, overweight or obese males may engage in more competitive or stimulating forms of ST (e.g., specific types of video games) that can be socially reinforcing (Vandewater et al., 2004). This may be used as a means to cope with social pressures or bullying, creating a distraction that reduces frustration and aggression (Przybylski & Weinstein, 2013;Richard et al., 2021;Rončević Zubković et al., 2022). Conversely, it is possible that girls may not experience the same level of social en-gagement or derive the same benefits from these types of ST. ...
Cross-sectional and Longitudinal Associations Between Sedentary Behavior and Behavioral Problems in Children with Overweight/Obesity
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  • Jun 2025
Background: Sedentary behaviors (ST) are linked to children's mental health, including internalizing and exter-nalizing problems. Research on these associations in children with overweight/obesity is limited. To this end, we examined cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between sedentary time (ST) and behavioral problems in children with overweight/obesity, followed by an investigation of potential sex-related differences. Methods: We included 2273 children with overweight/obesity (49.9 % boys) from the UK Millennium Cohort Study. Accelerometer-measured sedentary time (ST) and MVPA were collected at age 7, and behavioral problems were assessed at ages 7 and 11 via the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). General linear models were used to examine how ST at 7 years of age was cross-sectionally and longitudinally associated with externalizing and internalizing, while ethnicity, SDQ scores, parental psychological distress, highest parental education, household poverty, and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) were statistically controlled. These analyses are followed by an analysis investigating sex-related differences. Results: In the cross-sectional analyses, more ST was associated with fewer externalizing problems at 7 years among boys (β: −0.008, 95 % CI: −0.013, −0.003) and girls (β: −0.006, 95 % CI: −0.011, −0.001) without controlling for MVPA. More ST at 7 years was associated with fewer externalizing problems (β: −0.010, 95 %CI: −0.015, −0.004) only among boys when adjusting for MVPA. In the longitudinal analysis, more ST at 7 years ⁎ Corresponding author. Body-Brain-Mind Laboratory, Note: Low-resolution images were used to create this PDF. The original images will be used in the final composition. C O R R E C T E D P R O O F K. Guan et al. Mental Health and Physical Activity xxx (xxxx) 100698 was associated with fewer externalizing problems at 11 years for boys (β: −0.006, 95 %CI: −0.010, −0.001) and girls (β: −0.007, 95 %CI: −0.012, −0.002) without controlling for MVPA. When adjusting for MVPA at 7 years, more ST at 7 years was associated with fewer externalizing problems at 11 years for girls (β: −0.006, 95 %CI: −0.013, 0.000). Conclusions: In overweight/obese children, device-measured ST at the age of 7 years predicted fewer caregiver-reported externalizing problems at the age of 11 years, with boys showing stronger cross-sectional and girls longitudinal associations after MVPA adjustment. This suggests that the behavioral relationship of ST differs by sex and developmental stage, potentially warranting context-specific interventions to counteract its negative mental health influence.
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... People can encounter phubbing behaviour in any environment or event, such as at home, school, in meetings, or at social activities . While phubbers often neglect the importance of developing social relationships, phubbees feel less connected and have poor conversation quality (Nazir & Pişkin, 2016;Przybylski & Weinstein, 2013). In the expanding literature, phubbing has been associated with psychological distress, problematic smartphone use, poor sleep quality (Y. ...
The relationship between phubbing and social relationships among Turkish college students: mediating roles of self-control and empathy
Article
Full-text available
Objective This study explored whether self-control and empathy mediate the link between phubbing and the quality of social relationships. Method A total of 664 Turkish university students (373 female), aged 18–34 (M = 20.66, SD = 2.02), completed an online survey including the Phubbing Scale, Brief Multidimensional Self-Control Scale, Toronto Empathy Questionnaire, and Social Relationship Scale. Results Higher phubbing was associated with lower self-control and empathy, and weaker relationships with family, friends, and neighbours. In contrast, greater self-control and empathy were positively linked to stronger social connections. Mediation analyses showed that self-control and empathy both mediated the negative impact of phubbing on social relationships. Conclusion These findings suggest that phubbing weakens social bonds by reducing self-control and empathy. However, individuals with stronger self-control and empathy are more likely to maintain close relationships, despite frequent technology use. Interventions that promote mindful phone use and strengthen emotional and behavioural regulation skills may help young adults build and sustain healthier social ties.
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... Multitasking in interpersonal context may be when we use mobile phone while we talk to our partner. The results show that even the passive presence of a phone can reduce the sense of closeness, trust, and empathy between conversation participants (Przybylski and Weinstein, 2013). In domen of health distractions such as mobile or other media can lead to increased food intake, poor dietary choices, and a higher risk of obesity (Robinson and Matheson, 2015). ...
The Correlation Between Academic Media Multitasking and Achievement-a Meta-Analysis
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Academic media multitasking specifically refers to the phenomenon where students or academics divide their attention between learning-related activities, such as studying or reading scholarly material, and non-learning activities like texting friends, checking social media, or browsing unrelated websites. Studies confirm a negative correlation between media multitasking and academic achievement, with some reporting small to moderate effects or no correlation at all. This topic is particularly important today due to the pervasive use of media among younger generations and its impact on attention, focus, academic performance, and cognitive load. This meta-analysis aimed to quantitatively integrate individual correlational studies and draw general conclusions about the relationship between academic media multitasking and academic achievement. The sample comprised studies published in English scientific journals from 2010 to the present, with methodological characteristics matching the context of this analysis. A total of 11 studies were included in the final analysis. Correlation coefficients were used as a measure of effect size, with both fixed and random effects models applied to calculate the overall measure of effect size. The quality of the included studies was assessed, and potential publication bias was examined using a symmetry graph and Trim and Fill analysis. The results confirmed a low-intensity negative correlation between digital multitasking and academic achievement with a weighted average correlation coefficient of r=−0.252 (fixed effects model) and r=−0.246 (random effects model) and high heterogeneity (I² = 93.98%) among the studies, suggesting variability in the findings. The present meta-analysis also revealed high heterogeneity among the studies, suggesting variability in the findings. This heterogeneity opens avenues for exploring potential mediating relationships or covariates that impact why students engage in digital multitasking.
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... Studies indicate that phubbing is likely to weaken the quality of interpersonal interactions (Abeele, 2020;Al-Saggaf & O'Donnell, 2019). Recent research has indicated that people who were phubbed during a conversation reported the quality of conversation to be poor and less effective (Przybylski & Weinstein, 2013;Al-Saggaf & O'Donnell, 2019). ...
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