have you been phubbed off?

Research shows people are snubbing friends for phones

Science says staring at mobiles now the norm thanks to rise of internet addiction

SNUBBING people to concentrate on your phone — or phubbing — is now a social norm, scientists say.

Researchers found ignoring pals while staring at a mobile screen is no longer seen as rude, with internet addiction responsible for phubbing’s rise.

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Bad company ... phubbing sees huge rise as lack of self-control normalises staring at screens according to new reportCredit: Getty Images

Fear of missing out and a lack of self-control were also to blame, according to the University of Kent team.

They discovered that phubbers were very likely to have been phubbed themselves, making them view the behaviour as socially acceptable.

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For the study, 276 smartphone users were asked how often they used their device, how often they had phubbed and been phubbed and how acceptable they thought it was.

The paper said: “It seems inevitable that people who are addicted to their smartphones will use their device uncontrollably, even if it is discourteous or a prohibited time and place to do so.

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