The ever-quickening development of mobile technology has been hailed by the world as a modern revolution, but a new study has found that our over-reliance on phones and tablets has damaged relationships.
Researchers from Brigham Young University in Utah found that Interruptions caused by such devices, can cause conflict between couples, which can lead to people being less satisfied with their relationships.
The study conducted among 143 women in committed relationships found that around 73 per cent of respondents thought that smartphone use had a negative effect on their overall relationship.
A third of respondents also said that they or their partner had checked their phones in the middle of a face-to-face conversation when they heard a notification, and a quarter said their partner had even start texting people during conversations.
Sarah Coyne from Brigham Young University in Utah was co-author of the study said the results were “a wake-up call” and added that “we can let these devices overrule our entire lives if we allow it”.
She recommended couples to practice moderation and give more importance to quality time together.
However, it is not just the relationship between partners that is being affected by smart-phone use. A separate study conducted in 2011 found that the use of mobile technology was leading to children suffering more accidents.
The results published in the Daily Mail in 2012 showed that 9,564 children were admitted to hospital in 2011 after falling, a rise of more than 2,300 since 2006-7, when only 7,232 children went to hospital for similar accidents. A trend that experts believe is down to the growth of smart-phones and tablets.