Martaria Rizky Rinaldi, Ratri Pratiwi, Erydani Anggawijayanto, M Wahyu Kuncoro, Devan Gratcio Latue

Is Phubbing Gendered? Examining The Influence of Neuroticism and Gender in College Students

Introduction

Is phubbing gendered? examining the influence of neuroticism and gender in college students. This study investigates phubbing, neuroticism, and gender in college students. Neuroticism strongly predicts phubbing, but gender shows no main or moderating effect.

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between neuroticism and phubbing among university students and explored the moderating role of gender. Guided by the stress and coping model and personality theory, a cross-sectional survey was conducted with 236 Indonesian students (53% female; 85.8% aged 20–23) using validated measures: the Generic Scale of Phubbing and the IPIP-BFM-25 emotional stability subscale. Descriptive analysis showed that phubbing scores were notably right-skewed, with a mean of 53.2 (SD = 17.94) and a higher median of 66.0. Neuroticism significantly predicted phubbing behavior (Estimate = 2.369, SE = 0.120, 95% CI [2.133, 2.605], p < .001), while gender showed no main effect (p = .120) and did not moderate the neuroticism–phubbing relationship (interaction p = .093). Independent t-tests and Mann–Whitney U tests confirmed no significant gender differences in either phubbing or neuroticism levels. These findings suggest that neuroticism is a more robust predictor of phubbing than gender, likely due to differences in emotional regulation. Given the use of convenience sampling and a cross-sectional design, the generalizability of findings is limited. Targeted interventions focusing on emotional coping may be effective in reducing phubbing, especially among individuals high in neuroticism.

Review

This study offers a valuable contribution to the nascent but growing literature on phubbing behavior, specifically examining its relationship with neuroticism and gender among Indonesian university students. The authors effectively grounded their research in relevant theoretical frameworks, namely the stress and coping model and personality theory, to investigate whether neuroticism predicts phubbing and if gender plays a moderating role. A key finding is the significant predictive power of neuroticism on phubbing, coupled with the absence of a main effect or moderating role for gender, suggesting that internal emotional predispositions are more influential than demographic gender in this context. This finding challenges common societal assumptions about gendered technology use and highlights the importance of individual personality traits. While the study presents clear and interesting findings, several methodological aspects warrant consideration. The cross-sectional design, as acknowledged by the authors, inherently limits the ability to infer causality, making it difficult to establish whether neuroticism directly *causes* phubbing or if there are other reciprocal or confounding factors. The use of convenience sampling with a relatively narrow age range (85.8% aged 20–23) and a specific cultural context (Indonesian students) also restricts the generalizability of the findings to broader populations. Furthermore, the abstract notes that phubbing scores were notably right-skewed, with a higher median than mean, which might suggest a need for robust non-parametric analyses or transformations to ensure the validity of statistical inferences, though the specific analyses performed are not fully detailed. Despite these limitations, the study’s implications are noteworthy. The finding that neuroticism is a robust predictor of phubbing underscores the potential for interventions that focus on emotional regulation and coping strategies, particularly for individuals identified with high neuroticism. Future research could benefit from longitudinal designs to elucidate causal pathways and explore mediating variables, such as specific emotional regulation deficits or impulsivity, that link neuroticism to phubbing. Expanding the sample to include a wider age range and more diverse cultural contexts would also significantly enhance the generalizability and cross-cultural applicability of these findings. Overall, this paper serves as an important step in understanding the psychological underpinnings of phubbing, shifting focus from demographic factors to personality traits.

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