Affiliation:
1. McGill University, Canada
2. University of British Columbia Okanagan, Canada
Abstract
Does phone presence during romantic couple conversations influence the accuracy and bias of emotion perceptions? This two-part study examined whether phone presence – experimentally-manipulated in the lab (Part 1: N = 383) and assessed naturalistically in daily diaries (Part 2: N = 342) – relates to emotion perceptions, and, in turn, relationship quality. In Part 1, participants randomly assigned to have their phone present (vs. absent) with their romantic partner exhibited more positive emotion perceptions, indirectly contributing to greater relationship quality. In Part 2, on days when participants reported having their phone present with their romantic partner, they exhibited greater assumed similarity, indirectly contributing to greater relationship quality. Overall, phone presence when with a romantic partner may be beneficial, as it could contribute to more biased partner impressions and, in turn, greater relationship quality.
Funder
Fonds de Recherche du Québec-Société et Culture
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada