Phubbing

Phubbing refers to the act of ignoring one’s immediate social interactions in favor of engaging with a smartphone, making it a prevalent behavior in today's digital age. While it is frequently associated with the concept of fear of missing out (FOMO), the current body of research presents conflicting evidence regarding the strength and consistency of this relationship.^[1] In May 2012, as part of a linguistic experiment by Macquarie Dictionary, the advertising agency behind the campaign, McCann, had invited a number of lexicographers, authors, and poets to coin a neologism to describe the behavior. The word "phubbing," a portmanteau of phone and snubbing, was first described by McCann Group Account Director Adrian Mills, who was working with David Astle. The term has appeared in media around the world and was popularized by the Stop Phubbing campaign created by McCann.^[2]

Despite its growing relevance, no standardized method exists to measure phubbing behaviors or their effects. Existing tools have been developed with limited attention to psychometric properties or broad applicability, creating challenges for advancing research in this area.^[3] To address these gaps, recent studies aim to create validated scales that capture the complex dimensions of phubbing, contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of its impact on social interactions and individual well-being.