In a review paper published this year in the journal Perspectives on Psychological Science, University of Arizona psychology professor David Sbarra and his team examined the effect of divided attention on relationship conflict.

“When you are distracted into or by the device, then your attention is divided, and being responsive to our partners – an essential ingredient for building intimacy – requires attention in the here and now,” Sbarra explained.

Since technology is “not going away, nor should it”, this was not an attempt to judge technology, he said; rather, his research aimed to understand the way it is pulling us away from face-to-face interactions.

Part of this realisation comes in being able to acknowledge and talk about the effects of phone use. And happily, data from the latest study by Asurion shows that couples are willing to do that. A third say they have discussed the need to disconnect from their phones in bed; even if 10% do sleep with their devices under their pillow.

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