The Effect Of Partner Phubbing Behavior On Relationship Satisfaction

In recent years,smartphones have changed people’s lifestyles,greatly improving communication efficiency,but also bringing obstacles to communication.Especially for couples,frequently engaging with their phones may affect the intimate interaction between them.The effect of partner phubbing behavior on relationship satisfaction has been confirmed,but the conclusions have been inconsistent.Phubbing is an emerging behavior,and research on its causes and impacts is still limited.Moreover,most previous studies have focused on the impact of individual behavior on relationship satisfaction,but with less on the impact of interaction between spouses.Relationship satisfaction serves an important indicator of relationship quality,and partner’s phubbing behavior may diminish the quality of communication between spouses,thus has a potential negative impact on relationship satisfaction.Therefore,it is of important theoretical and practical significance to explore the influence mechanism of partner’s phubbing behavior on relationship satisfaction,and understand the influence of interaction between spouses from a dyadic perspective.The study further examined the impact of partner’s phubbing behavior on couples’ relationship satisfaction and the way of the influence,and discussed the association of partner’s phubbing behavior and relationship satisfaction within and between spouses from a dyadic perspective.This study consists of two specific studies:With a sample of 556 married adults,study 1 took the Partner Phubbing Scale,Perceived Partner Responsiveness Scale,and Relationship Satisfaction Scale to measure the partner’s phubbing behavior,perceived partner responsiveness,and relationship satisfaction,in addition.Study 2 took a sample of of 267 couples,using the couple as the unit of analysis,and adopted APIM to analyze the act effects and partner effects with and between spouses’ phubbing behavior and relationship satisfaction,.Findings of Study 1 suggested(1)Partner’s phubbing behavior negatively predicted relationship satisfaction;partner’s phubbing behavior negatively predicted perceived partner responsiveness,and perceived partner responsiveness positively predicted relationship satisfaction;(2)Perceived partner responsiveness mediated the partner’s phubbing behavior’s effect on relationship satisfaction.The phubbing behavior could directly predict relationship satisfaction,and could also indirectly predict relationship satisfaction through perceived partner responsiveness.(3)The length of marriage could moderated the perceived partner responsiveness’ s effect on relationship satisfaction,and at lower level of length,the perceived partner responsiveness’ effect on relationship satisfaction was enhanced.Findings of study 2 suggested(1)The both spouse’s perceived partner phubbing behavior could negatively predict their relationship satisfaction(actor effects).The both spouse’s perceived partner phubbing behavior could also negatively predict their spouses’ relationship satisfaction(partner effects).(2)The mediating effect analysis result showed that both spouses’ perceived partner responsiveness played mediating role in their perceived partner phubbing behavior on their own relationship satisfaction.(3)Wives’ perceived partner responsiveness mediated the association of mediating role in husbands’ perceived phubbing behavior on wives’ relationship satisfaction,and also mediated husbands’ perceived phubbing behavior on husbands’ relationship satisfaction.