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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
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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. ...
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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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... 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. ...
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