Mom, dad, put down your phone and talk to me: how parental phubbing influences problematic internet use among adolescents

BACKGROUND

The positive association of parental phubbing with internalising and externalising problems among adolescents has gained academic traction. To date, limited research has investigated the association of parental phubbing and adolescents' Problematic Internet Use (PIU). Furthermore, the mechanism underlying this association is largely unknown. These gaps limit our understanding of family-related issues affecting PIU among adolescents. The present study explores whether there is a relation between parental phubbing and PIU and investigates the mechanisms underlying this relation among adolescents.

METHODS

The participants were 495 junior high schoolers aged 11-15 years. Participants completed questionnaires on their experiences with PIU, parental phubbing, parent-child relationships, and basic psychological needs satisfaction.

RESULTS

The results showed a direct and indirect positive association between parental phubbing and PIU. Furthermore, parental phubbing indirectly influenced PIU and was mediated by the parent-child relationship and basic psychological needs satisfaction, respectively. Moreover, the parent-child relationship and basic psychological needs satisfaction were sequentially mediated.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study highlights the crucial role of parents in the development of adolescent PIU and provides theoretical and practical guidelines for PIU prevention and intervention.

Electrophysiological effects of smartphone notifications on cognitive control following a brief mindfulness induction

Smartphone use is nearly ubiquitous, with 93% of adults among economically developed countries, including the United States, Canada, Israel, and South Korea owning a smartphone (Taylor & Silver, 2019). Multiple studies have demonstrated the distracting effects of smartphone notifications on behavioral measures of cognition. Fewer studies have examined the effects of notifications on neural activity underlying higher-level cognitive processes or behavioral inductions to reduce smartphone-related distraction. Using EEG spectral frequency power densities, we assessed the effects of smartphone notifications (vs. control trials) on engagement of attentional shifting processes involved in cognitive control during a Navon Letter visual oddball task. Participants were randomly assigned to a brief mindfulness induction (N = 44) or a neutral narration control condition (N = 43). Overall, participants had lower theta-band power, but higher alpha- and beta-band power densities on target letter trials preceded by smartphone notifications. Additionally, participants in the mindfulness (vs. control) condition had a larger attention shifting oddball assessed via theta power density and theta/beta ratio (TBR) values-reflecting increased engagement of cognitive control-particularly on smartphone notification (vs. control) trials. Altogether, these results provide evidence supporting the idea that smartphone notifications can decrease activity of neural correlates of cognitive control, and offer the promise of a brief mindfulness induction to buffer against the effects of smartphone notifications on cognitive control. The findings indicate a need for further research on mindfulness inductiosn as a means to reduce potential distraction caused by smartphones.

Deviation from Design: A Meta-Analytic Review on the Link Between Social Media Use and Less Connection Between the Self and Others

Social media were designed to connect people and support interpersonal relationships. However, whether social media use is linked to the connection between the self and others is unknown. The present research reviewed findings across psychology to address whether social media use is linked to defining and expressing the self as connected to others (i.e., interdependence) versus separate from others (i.e., independence) and whether this link appears in both individualistic and collectivistic cultures. Eligible studies reported an association between social media use (e.g., time spent, frequency of use) and a characteristic supportive of independence (e.g., narcissism, envy, self-enhancement). Meta-analytic results of 133 effect sizes across the reviewed studies show that social media use is linked to independence rather than interdependence. This relationship was more pronounced in collectivistic cultures than in individualistic cultures. These findings suggest that characteristics linked to social media use differ from what one might expect based on the design of social media to connect people.

Listening and perceived responsiveness: Unveiling the significance and exploring crucial research endeavors

Listening and perceived responsiveness evoke a sense of interpersonal connection that benefits individuals and groups and is relevant to almost every field in Psychology, Management, Education, Communication, and Health, to name a few. In this paper, we, researchers who have devoted their careers to studying listening (first author) and perceived responsiveness (second author), address the necessity of integrating the two constructs. Moreover, we offer several questions for future research that we believe are crucial to produce a more profound and comprehensive understanding of this important process. These research questions include empirical issues, cross-cultural and inter-racial interactions, age differences, the emergence of new technologies, and opportunities to bridge political, ethnic, and social divides. By highlighting the undeniable impact of listening and perceived responsiveness on interpersonal connection across diverse domains, we emphasize the need to integrate these constructs in future research. Our proposed set of eight pivotal research questions is intended as a starting point for gaining a deeper and more holistic understanding of this critical study area while building a strong empirical foundation for interventions. By addressing these questions, we can foster meaningful advances that have the potential to bridge gaps, improve relationships, and enhance the well-being of individuals and communities alike.

Social media use and abuse: Different profiles of users and their associations with addictive behaviours

Introduction

Social media use has become increasingly prevalent worldwide. Simultaneously, concerns surrounding social media abuse/problematic use, which resembles behavioural and substance addictions, have proliferated. This has prompted the introduction of 'Social Media Addiction' [SMA], as a condition requiring clarifications regarding its definition, assessment and associations with other addictions. Thus, this study aimed to: (a) advance knowledge on the typology/structure of SMA symptoms experienced and: (b) explore the association of these typologies with addictive behaviours related to gaming, gambling, alcohol, smoking, drug abuse, sex (including porn), shopping, internet use, and exercise.

Methods

A sample of 968 [Mage = 29.5, SDage = 9.36, nmales = 622 (64.3 %), nfemales = 315, (32.5 %)] adults was surveyed regarding their SMA experiences, using the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS). Their experiences of Gaming, Internet, Gambling, Alcohol, Cigarette, Drug, Sex, Shopping and Exercise addictions were additionally assessed, and latent profile analysis (LPA) was implemented.

Results

Three distinct profiles were revealed, based on the severity of one's SMA symptoms: 'low', 'moderate' and 'high' risk. Subsequent ANOVA analyses suggested that participants classified as 'high' risk indicated significantly higher behaviours related to internet, gambling, gaming, sex and in particular shopping addictions.

Conclusions

Results support SMA as a unitary construct, while they potentially challenge the distinction between technological and behavioural addictions. Findings also imply that the assessment of those presenting with SMA behaviours, as well as prevention and intervention targeting SMA at risk groups, should consider other comorbid addictions.

Problematic use of the internet, smartphones, and social media among medical students and relationship with depression: An exploratory study

BACKGROUND

Students in sub-Saharan African countries experienced online classes for the first time during the COVID-19 pandemic. For some individuals, greater online engagement can lead to online dependency, which can be associated with depression. The present study explored the association between problematic use of the internet, social media, and smartphones with depression symptoms among Ugandan medical students.

METHODS

A pilot study was conducted among 269 medical students at a Ugandan public university. Using a survey, data were collected regarding socio-demographic factors, lifestyle, online use behaviors, smartphone addiction, social media addiction, and internet addiction. Hierarchical linear regression models were performed to explore the associations of different forms of online addiction with depression symptom severity.

RESULTS

The findings indicated that 16.73% of the medical students had moderate to severe depression symptoms. The prevalence of being at risk of (i) smartphone addiction was 45.72%, (ii) social media addiction was 74.34%, and (iii) internet addiction use was 8.55%. Online use behaviors (e.g., average hours spent online, types of social media platforms used, the purpose for internet use) and online-related addictions (to smartphones, social media, and the internet) predicted approximately 8% and 10% of the severity of depression symptoms, respectively. However, over the past two weeks, life stressors had the highest predictability for depression (35.9%). The final model predicted a total of 51.9% variance for depression symptoms. In the final model, romantic relationship problems (ß = 2.30, S.E = 0.58; p<0.01) and academic performance problems (ß = 1.76, S.E = 0.60; p<0.01) over the past two weeks; and increased internet addiction severity (ß = 0.05, S.E = 0.02; p<0.01) was associated with significantly increased depression symptom severity, whereas Twitter use was associated with reduced depression symptom severity (ß = 1.88, S.E = 0.57; p<0.05).

CONCLUSION

Despite life stressors being the largest predictor of depression symptom score severity, problematic online use also contributed significantly. Therefore, it is recommended that medical students' mental health care services consider digital wellbeing and its relationship with problematic online use as part of a more holistic depression prevention and resilience program.

The Effect of Social Networking Site Use on Depression in Graduate Students: The Mediating Role of Negative Social Comparison and Moderating Role of Implicit Personality Theories

OBJECTIVE

The current study aimed to investigate the effect of SNS use on graduate students' depression and further explored the effect of negative social comparison and an individual's implicit personality theory.

METHODS

Scales for Social Networking Site Use Intensity, the Negative Social Comparison Measure, the Implicit Personality Theory Inventory, and CES-D were used to investigate 1792 graduate students from a full-time university in Wuhan.

RESULT

(1) Social networking site use was positively correlated with negative social comparison and depression; (2) the mediating effect of negative social comparison was significant in social networking site use's influence on depression; (3) after controlling for negative social comparison, graduate students' use of SNS could negatively predict depression; and (4) the mediation effect of negative social comparison was moderated by an individual's implicit personality theory. Specifically, the mediation effect was more pronounced among the entity theorists, while the graduate students' incremental implicit personality theory may buffer the depressive effect of negative social comparison.

CONCLUSIONS

Negative social comparison mediates the relationship between SNS use and depression; in addition, individual differences in implicit personality theory (the entity theorist vs. incremental theorist) moderate the link between negative social comparison and depression.

Association of parent-child relationship quality and problematic mobile phone use with non-suicidal self-injury among adolescents

BACKGROUND

Non-suicidal self-injury behavior (NSSI) is a common mental health threat among adolescents. Poor parent-child relationship (PCR) and problematic mobile phone use (PMPU) are risk factors for NSSI. We aimed to explore the impact of PCR quality, PMPU, and their interaction effects on NSSI among adolescents in China, as well as the sex difference.

METHOD

A survey was conducted among school students in 4 provinces in China between 2017 and 2018. The study included 14,500 valid participants. The students' general demographic characteristics was collected, and further data on PCR quality, PMPU, and NSSI were obtained through self-rated questionnaire. Chi-square test, binomial logistic regression models, and the Andersson Excel were used for data analysis.

RESULTS

The 12-month prevalence of NSSI was 27.3%. Lower PCR quality and PMPU were significantly associated with NSSI, respectively. The low PCR + yes PMPU group had the greatest association with NSSI, followed by the high PCR + yes PMPU group, low PCR + no PMPU group. Moreover, in low father-child relationship + yes PMPU group, females had a higher risk of NSSI than males; in high mother-child relationship + yes PMPU group, females had a higher risk of NSSI than males. Additive interaction analysis indicated that mother-child relationship quality and PMPU were associated with increased risks of NSSI, in the subgroup of males.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings underline the importance of simultaneously studying the quality of PCR and PMPU for a comprehensive understanding of NSSI behavior, and especially highlights the significance of maternal relationship quality.

Perception and use of social media by Indonesian adolescents and parents: A qualitative study

Social media are popular among adolescents worldwide, including the global South. The way adolescents use social media is influenced by their own perception of social media but also by how their parents use and perceive social media. This study aims to understand how Indonesian young adolescents (12-15 years old) and parents of adolescents use and perceive social media. For this purpose, we conducted eight focus group discussions and eight semi-structured interviews with 30 Indonesian adolescents and 15 Indonesian parents. Thematic analysis of the qualitative data reveals that both adolescents and parents use social media for social, practical, and pleasure activities. Most adolescents mention that they consider themselves skilled in using social media, while parents consider themselves less skilled. Both adolescents and parents mention that social media offer benefits for adolescents, including emotional, social, and practical benefits. However, adolescents and parents also mention the risks of social media use for adolescents, including social, emotional, and informational risks, as well as the displacement of more meaningful activities. As such, both adolescents and parents do not perceive social media as inherently good or bad but rather as a novel medium that offers benefits for adolescents but also involves several risks to be considered by parents and other relevant stakeholders. This study adds to our understanding of social media use in the global South and offers a theoretical basis for future studies on the impact of adolescents' social media usage on wellbeing in an Indonesian context. However, future research is necessary to depict possible differences in social media use between Indonesia and other countries in the global South.

Loneliness across time and space

People feel lonely when their social needs are not met by the quantity and quality of their social relationships. Most research has focused on individual-level predictors of loneliness. However, macro-level factors related to historical time and geographic space might influence loneliness through their effects on individual-level predictors. In this Review, we summarize empirical findings on differences in the prevalence of loneliness across historical time and geographical space and discuss four groups of macro-level factors that might account for these differences: values and norms, family and social lives, technology and digitalization, and living conditions and availability of individual resources. Regarding historical time, media reports convey that loneliness is on the rise, but the empirical evidence is mixed, at least before the COVID-19 pandemic. Regarding geographical space, national differences in loneliness are linked to differences in cultural values (such as individualism) but might also be due to differences in the sociodemographic composition of the population. Research on within-country differences in loneliness is scarce but suggests an influence of neighbourhood characteristics. We conclude that a more nuanced understanding of the effects of macro-level factors on loneliness is necessary because of their relevance for public policy and propose specific directions for future research.

Relationship difficulties and "technoference" during the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has touched many aspects of people's lives around the world, including their romantic relationships. While media outlets have reported that the pandemic is difficult for couples, empirical evidence is needed to test these claims and understand why this may be. In two highly powered studies (N = 3271) using repeated measure and longitudinal approaches, we found that people who experienced COVID-19 related challenges (i.e., lockdown, reduced face-to-face interactions, boredom, or worry) also reported greater self and partner phone use (Study 1) and time spent on social media (Study 2), and subsequently experienced more conflict and less satisfaction in their romantic relationship. The findings provide insight into the struggles people faced in their relationships during the pandemic and suggest that the increase in screen time - a rising phenomenon due to the migration of many parts of life online - may be a challenge for couples.

Leader Phubbing and Employee Job Performance: The Effect of Need for Social Approval

Purpose

A workplace leader’s phubbing (snubbing by using the phone) can create social distance between the leader and employee. We tested whether this social distance might reduce trust, with a negative impact on job performance. The negative impact might be especially strong for employees with a high need for social approval (NFSA).

Methods

Full-time employees (N = 246; 51.63% male, M_age = 35.07, SD = 8.62) in Eastern China completed anonymous questionnaires. The data were collected in three waves with a 2-week interval between each wave. The SPSS macro PROCESS was used to test all research hypotheses.

Results

Regression-based analyses were used to test a moderated serial mediation model. Leader phubbing was associated with employees’ poorer job performance, and this association was mediated by social distance and in turn, low trust. The negative effects of leader phubbing were stronger for employees with a higher NFSA.

Conclusion

This study adds new evidence to the literature on phubbing by showing that employees’ perceptions of leader phubbing might hinder employee job performance. Furthermore, the boundary condition of employee NFSA was emphasized and further expanded the literature in this field. This research provides insights into how the negative impact of leader phubbing on employee job performance can be prevented or reduced.

Is the Smartphone Friend and Foe? Benefits and Costs of Self-reported Smartphone Use for Important Life Domains in a Representative German Sample

Smartphones are ubiquitous today, yet opinions differ as to whether the benefits or downsides of smartphone use predominate. Using the age-representative ‘Innovation Sample’ of the German Socio-Economic Panel study (N = 5,131, age M = 52.26, 17–96 years), this study examined associations between self-reported smartphone use and three life domains: individual well-being (psychological well-being, sleep); interpersonal relationships (social isolation, network size); and work (working hours, job satisfaction). For younger adults, increased smartphone use was associated with higher psychological well-being and longer sleep. In middle and late adulthood, moderate smartphone use was associated with the highest psychological well-being, and increased smartphone use was associated with less sleep. The more adults used the communicative functions of their smartphone, the more close friends they reported – irrespective of age. Employed adults who used work-related functions of their smartphone reported working more overtime and in the evening. Exploratory structural equation model trees examined non-linear combinations of smartphone use and demographic characteristics as moderators of these associations, but observed only few replicable patterns. The generally small associations might indicate that differences in ‘normal ranges’ of smartphone use are less consequential for the broad population than often assumed. We discuss challenges and future approaches for research on consequences of smartphone use.

Toward a New Science of Psychedelic Social Psychology: The Effects of MDMA (Ecstasy) on Social Connection

Psychedelic science has generated hundreds of compelling published studies yet with relatively little impact on mainstream psychology. I propose that social psychologists have much to gain by incorporating psychoactive substances into their research programs. Here I use (±)-3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) as an example because of its documented ability in experiments and clinical trials to promote bonding, love, and warmth. Social connection is a fundamental human need, yet researchers still possess few tools to effectively and durably boost it. MDMA allows investigators to isolate the psychological mechanisms-as well as brain pathways-underlying felt social connection and thus reveal what should be targeted in future (nondrug) studies. Accordingly, I introduce a conceptual model that presents the proximal psychological mechanisms stimulated by MDMA (lowered fear, increased sociability, more chemistry), as well as its potential long-term impacts (improved relationships, reduced loneliness, stronger therapeutic alliances). Finally, I discuss further questions (e.g., whether using MDMA for enhancing connection can backfire) and promising research areas for building a new science of psychedelic social psychology. In sum, psychopharmacological methods can be a useful approach to illuminate commonly studied social-psychological processes, such as connectedness, prejudice, or self, as well as inform interventions to directly improve people's lives.

Gender differences in the relationships between parental phubbing and adolescents' depressive symptoms: The mediating role of parent-adolescent communication

Phubbing, as a common phenomenon in modern society's communication, describes the act of using one's phone in face-to-face interactions. In recent years, parental phubbing has attracted the attention of researchers, and it is imperative to explore the relationship between father phubbing (Fphubbing), mother phubbing (Mphubbing) and adolescent development. Therefore, this study investigated 4213 adolescents (mean age = 16.41, SD = 0.77, 52.5% were boys) and explored the relationship between Fphubbing and Mphubbing and adolescents' depressive symptoms. Our single-group path analysis showed that both Fphubbing and Mphubbing were positively associated with adolescents' depressive symptoms. These positive associations were mediated by father-adolescent communication and mother-adolescent communication. Furthermore, multiple-group path analysis revealed that, compared to male adolescents, the relationship between Fphubbing and father-adolescent communication, and the relationship between Mphubbing and mother-adolescent communication were stronger in female adolescents. These findings offer a more ecological and comprehensive understanding of how parental phubbing associates with parent-adolescent communication and adolescents' depressive symptoms.

Mindful Parenting and Parent Technology Use: Examining the Intersections and Outlining Future Research Directions

Popular media attention and scientific research in both mindful parenting and technology use in the context of parenting has expanded in the 21st century; however, these two streams of research have largely evolved separately from one another. Thus, in this conceptual paper, we integrate the research on mindful parenting with that on parents’ technology use and parenting to examine how parent technology use may impact or be linked with aspects of mindful parenting. Mindful parenting theory outlines five key components: listening with full attention, self-regulation in the parent–child relationship, emotional awareness of self and child, nonjudgmental acceptance of self and child, and compassion for self and child. Parent technology use, in particular the use of mobile devices, has the potential to impact all five elements of mindful parenting. However, the relationship between mindful parenting and technology is complex, and there can be both positive and negative implications of parent technology use on mindful parenting. On the positive side, technology use might help parents regulate their emotions; access support; and develop more empathy, acceptance, and compassion for themselves and their children. Yet, parent technology use also has the potential to create distractions and disrupt parent–child interactions, which may make it more difficult for parents to listen with full attention, maintain awareness of their own and their child’s emotions, and calmly respond to child behaviors with intentionality. Technology use may also create more opportunities for social comparisons and judgement, making it more difficult for parents to accept their children nonjudgmentally and have compassion for their children as they are. Future research is needed to understand the conditions under which technology use can hinder or promote mindful parenting and how interventions can promote mindful parenting skills and a positive uses of technology.

The relationship between phubbing and the depression of primary and secondary school teachers: A moderated mediation model of rumination and job burnout

BACKGROUND

With the progress of modern technology and the widespread popularization of mobile phones, many new problems related to mobile phones have aroused people's attention. One of the new phenomena is the phubbing. However, previous studies have paid more attention to the influence of phubbing on the phubbees, few researchers have focused on the influence of phubbing on the phubbers and its influencing mechanism.

METHODS

In the present study, convenient sampling method was adopted, and 907 (432 males, 47.6%) primary and secondary school teachers were recruited from Shanxi province in China. The teachers were all assessed by a series of self-assessment scales, including Generic Scale of Phubbing, the Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey, Ruminative Response Scale, and the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale.

RESULTS

The results showed as follows: (1) After controlling for age and gender, phubbing had a significantly positive link to depression of primary and secondary school teachers. Job burnout partially mediated the relation between phubbing and depression. (3) Moderated mediation analysis further indicated that the relation between job burnout and depression were moderated by rumination. Job burnout was a stronger predictor of depression in low ruminants than in high ones.

LIMITATIONS

First, cross-sectional study design was adopted in this study, but it was difficult to infer the causal relationship between variables. Further investigation and verification should be conducted in combination with experiments and follow-up studies, so as to further reveal the mechanism of action between variables. Second, all the data in this study were from the self-report. Although the common method deviation was not obvious, there may be social desirability effect.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings imply that phubbing will not only harm the mental health of the phubbees, but also will affect the mental health of the phubbers. The phubbing enhanced the job burnout of primary and secondary school teachers and increased their risk of depression. Compared with high ruminant, job burnout has a stronger predictive effect on depression in low ruminants. Therefore, we should also pay attention to the mental health problems of phubber teachers in primary and secondary schools.

Long-distance texting: Text messaging is linked with higher relationship satisfaction in long-distance relationships

Due to the widespread use of smartphones, romantic couples can connect with their partners from virtually anywhere, at any time. Remote communication may be particularly important to long-distance relationships (LDRs), compared to geographically close relationships (GCRs). The goals of the current research were to examine differences between LDRs and GCRs in (1) the patterns of remote communication (video calls, voice calls, and texting), and (2) how frequency and responsiveness of remote communication are related to relationship satisfaction. Data were drawn from an online survey of emerging adults (n = 647) who were in a relationship or dating someone (36.5% were in an LDR). Participants in LDRs engaged in more frequent video calling, voice calling and texting, compared to those in GCRs. Long-distance relationship participants also perceived their partners to be more responsive during video and voice calls, compared to GCR participants. More frequent and responsive texting predicted significantly greater relationship satisfaction among participants in LDRs, but not GCRs. Meanwhile, frequency of voice calls was associated with greater relationship satisfaction in GCRs, but not in LDRs. The use of video calls was not significantly related to relationship satisfaction in either group. Overall, study findings add to a growing literature on remote communication in romantic couples and suggest a uniquely positive role of texting within LDRs. Further research is needed to examine the ways in which LDR and GCR couples can best capitalize on different forms of remote technology to maintain their relationships during periods of separation.

The effects of maternal smartphone use on mother-child interaction

This study assessed the effects of maternal smartphone use on mother-child interaction. Thirty-three Israeli mothers and their 24- to 36-month-old toddlers (16 boys) from middle-high socioeconomic status participated in three within-subjects experimental conditions: maternal smartphone use, maternal magazine reading, and uninterrupted dyadic free-play. The mothers produced fewer utterances, provided fewer responses to child bids, missed child bids more often, and exchanged fewer conversational turns with their children when engaged with a smartphone or printed magazines compared to uninterrupted free-play. The quality of maternal responsiveness was also decreased. These findings suggest maternal smartphone use compromises mother-child interaction, which given smartphone ubiquity in daily life may have negative effects on child development in various domains, including language, cognition, and socioemotional regulation.

The Moderating Role of Social Network Size on Social Media Use and Self-Esteem: An Evolutionary Mismatch Perspective

Existing meta-analyses have shown that the relationship between social media use and self-esteem is negative, but at very small effect sizes, suggesting the presence of moderators that change the relationship between social media use and self-esteem. Employing principles from social comparison and evolutionary mismatch theories, we propose that the social network sizes one has on social media play a key role in the relationship between social media use and self-esteem. In our study (N = 123), we showed that social media use was negatively related to self-esteem, but only when their social network size was within an evolutionarily familiar level. Social media use was not related to self-esteem when people's social networks were at evolutionarily novel sizes. The data supported both social comparison and evolutionary mismatch theories and elucidated the small effect size found for the relationship between social media use and self-esteem in current literature. More critically, the findings of this study highlight the need to consider evolutionarily novel stimuli that are present on social media to better understand the behaviors of people in this social environment.

Interpersonal Chemistry: What Is It, How Does It Emerge, and How Does It Operate?

Although chemistry is a well-known, sought-after interpersonal phenomenon, it has remained relatively unexplored in the psychological literature. The purpose of this article is to begin articulating a theoretically grounded and precise definition of interpersonal chemistry. To that end, we propose a conceptual model of interpersonal chemistry centered around the notion that when two or more individuals experience chemistry with one another, they experience their interaction as something more than the sum of their separate contributions. Our model stipulates that chemistry encompasses both behavior (i.e., what chemistry "looks like") and its perception (i.e., what it "feels like"). The behavior involves interaction sequences in which synchronicity is high and in which people's goals are expressed and responded to in supportive and encouraging ways. The perception of chemistry includes cognitive (i.e., perception of shared identity), affective (i.e., positive affect and attraction), and behavioral (i.e., perceived goal-relevant coordination) components. We review existing research on chemistry as well as supporting evidence from relevant topics (e.g., attraction, similarity, perceived partner responsiveness, synchrony) that inform and support this model. We hope that this conceptual model stimulates research to identify the circumstances in which chemistry arises and the processes by which it affects individuals, their interactions, and their relationships.

Smartphone and social media addiction: Exploring the perceptions and experiences of Canadian teenagers

"Addiction" to internet-connected technology continues to dominate media discourses of young people. Researchers have identified negative outcomes, including decreased mental health, resulting from anxieties related to technology, e.g., a fear of missing out and social connectivity related to online technologies. Not enough is known, however, regarding young people's own responses to these ideas. This paper highlights discussions with teenagers around the idea of internet addiction, exploring their experiences and perceptions regarding the idea that "kids today" are addicted to their devices, especially smartphones and the social network sites they often access from them. Thirty-five focus group discussions with 115 Canadian teenagers (aged 13-19 years old) center on their use of information communication technologies, especially contemporary social network sites such as Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook. Our discussions reveal (1) that teens are actively embracing the label of addiction; (2) their ironic positioning occurs despite a felt sense of debased agency in relation to the power of the algorithms and affordances of the technologies mediating their use; and (3) rather than a stark divide between adults as "digital immigrants" versus young people as "digital natives," our teens positioned themselves in contrast to both their parents and younger siblings, both of whom are criticized as addicted themselves. A consistent theme is the influence of peer groups who socially compel addictive behaviours, including the fear of missing out, rather than the technologies per se. Wider implications for thinking beyond solely young people as suffering from online addiction are considered.

Smartphones in the nursery: Parental smartphone use and parental sensitivity and responsiveness within parent-child interaction in early childhood (0-5 years): A scoping review

The omnipresence of smartphones has not stopped at the door to the nursery. It is especially important to better understand the impact of parental smartphone use on relationships at the beginning of children's lives. Babies and toddlers are essentially dependent on caregivers’ sensitive and responsive behaviors within the context of the development of attachment patterns. Disturbances in parental sensitivity can have a negative impact on attachment‐related interactional processes between parents and children and on child outcomes, such as self‐regulatory capacity. The goal of this review is to compile existing research on the impact of parental mobile device use through technoference or absorption on parental sensitivity and responsiveness within parent–child interactions in the early years (0–5). We conducted a thorough search of the databases PsycInfo and PubMed, additionally consulting data sources such as Google Scholar and Google. In this review, we included 12 studies with a variety of methodical approaches. The research so far indicates that parental smartphone use may be associated with changes in parental sensitivity and responsiveness. Absorption in the device appears to contribute to this association more strongly than short interruptions of relating per se (technoference). However, to better understand these processes, more in‐depth, longitudinal research is needed.

Does Using Social Media Jeopardize Well-Being? The Importance of Separating Within- From Between-Person Effects

Social networking sites (SNS) are frequently criticized as a driving force behind rising depression rates. Yet empirical studies exploring the associations between SNS use and well-being have been predominantly cross-sectional, while the few existing longitudinal studies provided mixed results. We examined prospective associations between SNS use and multiple indicators of well-being in a nationally representative sample of Dutch adults ( N ∼ 10,000), comprising six waves of annual measures of SNS use and well-being. We used an analytic method that estimated prospective effects of SNS use and well-being while also estimating time-invariant between-person associations between these variables. Between individuals, SNS use was associated with lower well-being. However, within individuals, year-to-year changes in SNS use were not prospectively associated with changes in well-being (or vice versa). Overall, our analyses suggest that the conclusions about the causal impact of social media on rising mental health problems in the population might be premature.

Confidence is sexy and it can be trained: Examining male social confidence in initial, opposite-sex interactions

OBJECTIVE

We investigated whether men's social confidence in an initial, opposite-sex chatting context can be improved through a video tutorial and the extent to which being perceived as socially confident results in being seen as more romantically desirable and worthy of future contact.

METHOD

Women chatted with men who had received or not received a tutorial on how to handle speed-dating chats (Study 1: N = 129; Study 2: N = 60) or with male targets selected for having high versus moderate confidence in handling initial, opposite-sex encounters (Study 3: N = 46).

RESULTS

Tutorial-trained men felt more confident going into the chats and they, as well as male targets selected for their confidence, were perceived by female chat partners to be higher in social confidence, status, and dominance. However, only perceptions of social confidence were further associated with being perceived as more romantically desirable (as a short-term mate) and worthy of future contact.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings indicate that social confidence is trainable and that other-perceived social confidence can impact the outcomes of social interactions.

Social Allostasis and Social Allostatic Load: A New Model for Research in Social Dynamics, Stress, and Health

Theories such as social baseline theory have argued that social groups serve a regulatory function but have not explored whether this regulatory process carries costs for the group. Allostatic load, the wear and tear on regulatory systems caused by chronic or frequent stress, is marked by diminished stress system flexibility and compromised recovery. We argue that allostatic load may develop within social groups as well and provide a model for how relationship dysfunction operates. Social allostatic load may be characterized by processes such as groups becoming locked into static patterns of interaction and may ultimately lead to up-regulation or down-regulation of a group's set point, or the optimal range of arousal or affect around which the group tends to converge. Many studies of emotional and physiological linkage within groups have reported that highly correlated states of arousal, which may reflect failure to maintain a group-level regulatory baseline, occur in the context of stress, conflict, and relationship distress. Relationship strain may also place greater demands on neurocognitive regulatory processes. Just as allostatic load may be detrimental to individual health, social allostatic load may corrode relationship quality.