When Love Meets the Screen: Demographic Predictors of Phubbing among Married People

Authors

  • Siti Maryam Md Nor Faculty of Business Management and Professional Studies, Management & Science University (MSU), 40100 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
  • Haslinda Abdullah Institute for Social Science Studies, Putra Infoport, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
  • Zeinab Zaremohzzabieh Women and Family Studies Research Center, University of Religions and Denominations, Qom, Iran
  • Syuhaily Osman Faculty of Human Ecology, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
  • Wan Munira Wan Jaafar Faculty of Human Ecology, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
  • Mohd Anuar Sulaiman Faculty of Business Management and Professional Studies, Management & Science University (MSU), 40100 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
  • Siti Zakiah Syed Mustafa Faculty of Business Management and Professional Studies, Management & Science University (MSU), 40100 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia

Keywords:

Phubbing, relationship disruption, social interference, phone prioritization, phone dependency, compulsive use

Abstract

This study examines the frequency, patterns, and demographic associations of phubbing among married individuals in Peninsular Malaysia.   A cross-sectional survey (N = 407) employing multistage sampling across four regions utilised a bilingual (Malay/English) questionnaire evaluated on a 5-point Likert scale.   Exploratory factor analysis confirmed a multidimensional construct of partner-directed phone usage, yielding five trustworthy dimensions: Phone Prioritisation, Phone Dependency, Relationship Disruption, Social Interference, and Compulsive Phone Usage.   The sampling adequacy was exceptional (KMO = 0.926) with a substantial Bartlett’s test, confirming suitability for factor analysis. Descriptively, overtly dismissive behaviours were typically minimal; yet, numerous respondents reported maintaining phones in sight or within reach, indicating a subtle yet continuous attentional draw towards electronics.   The inferential tests revealed selective, factor-specific demographic influences.  One-way ANOVA revealed that education substantially influenced Relationship Disruption (F3) (F = 3.307, p = .006) and Social Interference (F4) (F = 2.333, p = .042), although the effects on Phone Prioritisation, Phone Dependency, and Compulsive Use were not significant.  Income groups exhibited significant differences on F3 (F = 3.818, p = .002) and F4 (F = 3.021, p = .011), with higher-income respondents attaining elevated scores; no income disparities were observed in other categories.  Independent-samples t-tests indicated gender disparities, with males exhibiting higher levels of Phone Prioritisation (p < .001) and Social Interference (p < .05), while age and ethnicity showed no correlation with any factor. Research indicates that socioeconomic status is more significantly associated with the relational and social-contextual aspects of phubbing than with overall dependency or compulsion.  Practical consequences encompass couple-oriented "phone-free" rituals and the establishment of boundaries around alerts and job obligations.  Future study ought to utilise longitudinal or experimental methodologies to examine mechanisms and assess targeted, context-specific solutions.

Author Biography

Siti Maryam Md Nor, Faculty of Business Management and Professional Studies, Management & Science University (MSU), 40100 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia

sitimaryam_mdnor@msu.edu.my

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Published

2026-02-15

How to Cite

Md Nor, S. M., Abdullah, H., Zaremohzzabieh, Z., Osman, S., Wan Jaafar, W. M., Sulaiman, M. A., & Syed Mustafa, S. Z. (2026). When Love Meets the Screen: Demographic Predictors of Phubbing among Married People. Semarak Proceedings of Social and Behavioural Sciences, 2(1), 20–35. Retrieved from https://semarakilmu.my/index.php/spsbs/article/view/978

Issue

Vol. 2 No. 1 (2025)

Section

Articles