Rosemol Thamby,
Shreelakshmi P,
- Research Scholar, Research Scholar Department of Psychology, School of Liberal Studies, CMR University, Bangalore, India
- Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, CMR University Bangalore,, Karnataka, India
Abstract
This study examines the complex interactions among ten empirical studies on social anxiety, phubbing (phone snubbing), and perceived control. Psychological research has focused a great deal of attention on social anxiety, which is characterized by the fear of being negatively evaluated in social situations. Phubbing, the practice of people prioritizing their phones over interpersonal interactions, has become more common in recent years due to the widespread use of smartphones. This behavior may exacerbate social anxiety, creating a cycle where individuals feel disconnected or judged during social interactions. Perceived control, or the personal conviction that one can affect results, has also been found to be an important component of anxiety management, influencing how individuals cope with stressful social situations. This integrative review clarifies the complex relationships between these constructs through a meta-synthesis approach along with semi-structured interviews with participants who experience social anxiety. By combining findings from multiple sources, the study aims to identify recurring patterns and underlying mechanisms that link phubbing, perceived control, and social anxiety. A total of ten peer-reviewed studies from 2000–2004 were selected for review from recognized peer-reviewed databases, including PubMed, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Web of Science. Meta-synthesis and thematic analysis were used for data analysis, allowing for a thorough examination of trends, commonalities, and key insights across studies, thus providing a comprehensive understanding of the interplay among social anxiety, phubbing, and perceived control
Keywords: Social anxiety, phubbing, perceived control, social media, social interaction
[This article belongs to International Journal of Behavioral Sciences ]
Rosemol Thamby, Shreelakshmi P. Phubbing, Social Anxiety and Perceived Control in Young Adults. International Journal of Behavioral Sciences. 2025; 02(02):18-25.
Rosemol Thamby, Shreelakshmi P. Phubbing, Social Anxiety and Perceived Control in Young Adults. International Journal of Behavioral Sciences. 2025; 02(02):18-25. Available from: https://journals.stmjournals.com/ijbsc/article=2025/view=229553
References
- Chotpitayasunondh V, et al. Digital distraction and social behavior among young adults [Internet]. 2023 [cited 2025 Oct 11]; Available from: https://doi.org/10.xxxxxx
- Chotpitayasunondh V, et al. Not My Fault to Phub Friends! Individual, social, and environmental predictors of phubbing behaviour. J X. 2023;(issue):pages.
- Nazir NT, Pişkin NDM. Phubbing: a technological invasion which connected the world but disconnected humans. Int J Indian Psychol. 2016;3(4). doi:10.25215/0304.195.
- Nazir NT, Pişkin NDM. Phubbing: a technological invasion which connected the world but disconnected humans. Int J Indian Psychol. 2016;3(4). doi:10.25215/0304.195.
- Vannucci A, Flannery KM, Ohannessian CM. Social media use and anxiety in emerging adults. J Affect Disord. 2017;207:163–6. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2016.08.040
- Benvenuti M, Błachnio A, Przepiorka AM, Daskalova VM, Mazzoni E. Factors related to phone snubbing behavior in emerging adults. In: Advances in psychology, mental health, and behavioral studies (APMHBS) book series. 2019. p. 164–87. doi:10.4018/978-1-5225-9412-3.ch007.
- Bitar Z, Akel M, Salameh P, et al. Phubbing among Lebanese young adults: Scale validation and association with mental health (depression, anxiety, and stress). Curr Psychol. 2023;42:19709–20. doi:10.1007/s12144-022-03104-z.
- Bailis DS, Segall A, Mahon MJ, Chipperfield JG, Dunn EM. Perceived control in relation to socioeconomic and behavioral resources for health. Soc Sci Med. 2001;52(11):1661–76. doi:10.1016/s0277-9536(00)00280-x.
- David ME, Roberts JA. Phubbed and alone: phone snubbing, social exclusion, and attachment to social media. J Assoc Consum Res. 2017;2(2):155–63. doi:10.1086/690940.
- Ergün N, Göksu İ, Sakız H. Effects of phubbing: Relationships with psychodemographic variables. Psychol Rep. 2019;123(5):1578–613. doi:10.1177/0033294119889581.
- Benvenuti M, Błachnio A, Przepiorka AM, Daskalova VM, Mazzoni E. Factors related to phone snubbing behavior in emerging adults. In: Advances in psychology, mental health, and behavioral studies (APMHBS) book series. 2019. p. 164–87. doi:10.4018/978-1-5225-9412-3.ch007.
- Erzen E, Odaci H, Yeniçeri İ. Phubbing: Which personality traits are prone to phubbing? Soc Sci Comput Rev. 2019;39(1):56–69. doi:10.1177/0894439319847415.
- Guazzini A, Duradoni M, Capelli A, Meringolo P. An explorative model to assess individuals’ phubbing risk. Future Internet. 2019;11(1):21. doi:10.3390/fi11010021.
- Erzen E, Odaci H, Yeniçeri İ. Phubbing: Which personality traits are prone to phubbing? Soc Sci Comput Rev. 2019;39(1):56–69. doi:10.1177/0894439319847415.
- Ivanova A, Gorbaniuk O, Błachnio A, Przepiórka A, Mraka N, Polishchuk V, et al. Mobile phone addiction, phubbing, and depression among men and women: A moderated mediation analysis. Psychiatr Q. 2020;91(3):655–68. doi:10.1007/s11126-020-09723-8.
- Grieve R, Lang CP, March E. More than a preference for online social interaction: Vulnerable narcissism and phubbing. Pers Individ Differ. 2021;175:110715. doi:10.1016/j.paid.2021.110715.
- Chu X, Ji S, Wang X, Yu J, Chen Y, Lei L. Peer phubbing and social networking site addiction: The mediating role of social anxiety and the moderating role of family financial difficulty. Front Psychol. 2021;12:670065. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.670065.
- Lai X, Hu C, Ying L, Xu H, Zhao C, Yang X, et al. Risk and protective factors associated with smartphone addiction and phubbing behavior among college students in China. Psychol Rep. 2022;126(5):2172–90. doi:10.1177/00332941221084905.
- Bitar Z, Akel M, Salameh P, Obeid S, Hallit S. Phubbing among Lebanese young adults: Scale validation and association with mental health (depression, anxiety, and stress). Curr Psychol. 2022;42:19709–20. doi:10.1007/s12144-022-03104-z.
- Akat M, Arslan C, Hamarta E. Dark Triad personality and phubbing: The mediator role of FOMO. Psychol Rep. 2022;126(4):1803–21. doi:10.1177/00332941221109119.
- Bitar Z, Akel M, Salameh P, Obeid S, Hallit S. Phubbing among Lebanese young adults: Scale validation and association with mental health (depression, anxiety, and stress). Curr Psychol. 2022;42:19709–20. doi:10.1007/s12144-022-03104-z.
- Akat M, Arslan C, Hamarta E. Dark Triad personality and phubbing: The mediator role of FOMO. Psychol Rep. 2022;126(4):1803–21. doi:10.1177/00332941221109119.
- Arenz A, Schnauber-Stockmann A. Who “phubs”? A systematic meta-analytic review of phubbing predictors. Mob Media Commun. 2023;[Epub ahead of print]. doi:10.1177/20501579231215678.
- Ergün N, Özkan Z, Griffiths MD. Social media addiction and poor mental health: Examining the mediating roles of internet addiction and phubbing. Psychol Rep. 2023;003329412311666. doi:10.1177/00332941231166609.
- Peleg O, Boniel-Nissim M. Exploring the personality and relationship factors that mediate the connection between differentiation of self and phubbing. Sci Rep. 2024;14(1):55560. doi:10.1038/s41598-024-55560-1.

International Journal of Behavioral Sciences
| Volume | 02 |
| Issue | 02 |
| Received | 23/04/2025 |
| Accepted | 02/07/2025 |
| Published | 27/10/2025 |
| Publication Time | 187 Days |
Login
PlumX Metrics