Shyness and Inferiority Feelings as Predictors of Phubbing Behavior among University Students

Abstract

Phubbing is an unethical social act performed in face-to-face interactions where an individual, i.e., phubber, ignores another person, i.e., phubbee, in favor of using his/her cell phone. This study examined shyness and inferiority feelings as predictors of phubbing behavior among university students. Gender and educational differences were also discussed. About 300 students (boys = 150; girls = 150) from three universities of Hazara Division KPK responded to the Phubbing Scale (Karadag et al., 2015), Inferiority Feelings Scale (Akdogan, 2012), Revised Cheek and Buss Shyness Scale (Cheek & Buss, 1981) and a personal information form. Results revealed that shyness positively predicted phubbing, while inferiority feelings did not predict phubbing among university students. Gender differences exist in favor of boys in communication disturbance. Graduate students scored higher on shyness, and undergrads scored higher on inferiority feelings than their counterparts. However, education did not predict significant group differences in phubbing. Study strengths and limitations are discussed.