Question 1

Which term, coined by researchers Roberts and David, describes ignoring a partner in favor of one's phone?

Accepted Answer

Phubbing (phone-snubbing). Roberts and David popularized the term 'phubbing' — phone-snubbing — in their research on phones in close relationships, finding it predicts lower relationship satisfaction.

Question 2

Roberts and David's studies found that 'phubbing' is most consistently associated with:

Accepted Answer

Lower relationship satisfaction and elevated conflict. Their research found that perceived phubbing was associated with lower satisfaction and elevated conflict, partly mediated by feelings of disconnection.

Question 3

Andrea Bonior is a psychologist whose writing on relationships focuses partly on:

Accepted Answer

How digital communication and technology affect couples and friendships. Psychologist Andrea Bonior writes extensively on the everyday dynamics of relationships in a digital era, including how technology mediates closeness and conflict.

Question 4

Research on text-based communication in couples generally finds that:

Accepted Answer

Texts excel for logistics and small affection but are risky for emotionally loaded conversations because of missing cues. Research suggests texts work well for logistics and small bids for connection, but tend to escalate during emotionally loaded topics where missing tone and facial cues create misreadings.

Question 5

The concept of 'technoference' refers to:

Accepted Answer

Interference of technology in face-to-face relationship moments. Sarah Coyne and colleagues popularized 'technoference' to describe everyday intrusions of technology into face-to-face moments and their cumulative effects on closeness.

Question 6

Research on long-distance couples finds that digital communication:

Accepted Answer

Can effectively maintain emotional connection when partners use multiple channels and engage in deeper, intentional conversations. Long-distance couple research, including work by Crystal Jiang, finds that thoughtful, multi-channel digital communication can maintain or even deepen emotional connection.

Question 7

Sue Johnson's emotionally focused therapy framework would likely interpret a partner's complaint about phone use as:

Accepted Answer

A bid for attachment, often signaling a deeper need to feel important and prioritized. Within EFT, complaints about distraction or screens are often read as attachment protests — bids signaling a need to feel emotionally prioritized.

Question 8

What does research suggest about 'response time' anxiety in digital communication between partners?

Accepted Answer

Anxious-attachment styles show more sensitivity to delays, while avoidance shows different patterns. Studies linking attachment style to digital behavior find that anxious-attachment individuals tend to monitor response times more closely, while avoidant-attachment patterns show different signaling preferences.

Question 9

Brittany McGeehan and other clinicians writing about digital couples life often emphasize:

Accepted Answer

Negotiating shared agreements about technology use, especially in shared time and bed. Clinicians frequently recommend explicit shared agreements about phones during shared meals, bedtime, and conversations, rather than blanket bans or silent resentment.

Question 10

Which is an evidence-informed practice for couples seeking better digital communication?

Accepted Answer

Save emotionally loaded conversations for face-to-face time, agree on phone-free moments, and seek a couples therapist if patterns persist. Researchers and clinicians broadly recommend saving emotional conversations for face-to-face moments, agreeing on phone-free time, and considering professional support when conflicts persist.

Digital Communication in Couples: The Research

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