Phubbing is a social no-no and can have a drastic impact on romantic relationships, but with smartphones playing an ever-increasing role in our lives, we've all done it Are you a phubber? Or have you been phubbed? No, we didn't make that word up, and no, it's not to be confused with Clubber, the streaming platform for club-level GAA matches. Phubbing is short for 'phone snubbing' and is a term coined well over a decade ago that describes the act of ignoring someone in favour of your phone.
Almost every intimate bond begins with some form of companionship, shared laughter, or mutual support. When that foundation begins to erode, the romantic or long-term relationship above it also begins to crack. Relationships frequently disintegrate without causing a major rift, just as friendships can slowly deteriorate. This fading can be harder to see because love, cohabitation, or family ties create a stronger sense of obligation. The signals are subtler but no less powerful.
A set of studies from the University of Toronto's "MacLab" suggest that understanding the motivations behind romantic pursuit can help distinguish between healthy, self-driven motivations and those based on fear, pressure, or insecurity.
