Testing the Mediating Role of Phubbing in the Relationship Between the Big Five Personality Traits and Satisfaction with Life

Abstract

Phubbing refers to an individual giving more attention to their mobile phone when in face-to-face communication with another individual. Research in the area of phubbing is relatively new and is often related to habitual mobile phone use. The aim of the present study was to explore the relationships between phubbing, the Big Five personality traits, and life satisfaction. The mediating role of phubbing in the relationship between personality traits and life satisfaction was also investigated. The sample comprised 292 university students (192 females [65.8%] and 100 males [34.2%]). The age of the university students in the study group ranged from 17 to 28 years and the mean age was 20.05 years (SD = 2.33). Correlation analysis demonstrated that there were significant relationships between life satisfaction, phubbing, communication disturbances, and neuroticism. Phubbing was shown to have a non-significant relationship with life satisfaction. The study also examined the mediating role of communication disturbances in the relationship between neuroticism and life satisfaction. Neuroticism was shown to have a significant effect on communication disturbances, and communication disturbances had a significant effect on life satisfaction. Consequently, communication disturbances had a mediating role in the relationship between neuroticism and life satisfaction.