BY Charlie Herbert

You might not know what 'Phubbing' is, but we're probably all been guilty of this at least once

A health expert has warned people about the dangers of ‘phubbing’ in relationships. Whilst you’ve probably heard of modern-day dating terms such as ‘ghosting’ and ‘gaslighting,’ it would come as no surprise if you’ve never heard this new piece of vocab before. So allow us to explain. ‘Phubbing’ is a portmanteau of ‘phone’ and ‘snubbing’ and is a term used for when you keep checking your phone because it keeps pinging during a date with someone else. Instead of paying attention to the other person and trying to connect with them, you’re more interested in group chat messages and Deliveroo emails. Obviously, this isn’t the best way of trying to start or maintain a healthy relationship with the other person. In a recent column for the Daily Mail, Doctor Michael Mosley explained how he used to be a ‘phubber’ himself, and the impact this had on his marriage. He wrote that his constant phone-checking really annoyed his wife, to the extent that she would sometimes physically take his phone out of his hand to highlight how rude it was. The popular TV doctor went on to quote a study which found that ‘phubbing’ “significantly and negatively predicted marital satisfaction.” Basically, if you find the glow of your phone screen more interesting than the person you’re romantically involved with, it is understandably going to reduce the chance of the relationship being long-term. The study also found that those on the receiving end of ‘phubbing’ tended to be less satisfied with their overall life, due to the distracted nature of their partner. So, next time you’re on a date with a significant other – or someone who you’d like to become your significant other – put your phone on airplane mode, and pay them a bit of attention.

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