Empathy as a mediator between being phubbed and phubbing behavior: The role of vulnerable narcissism in adolescents

Yohanes Budiarto; Rahmah Hastuti

doi:10.19090/pp.v19i3.2597

Authors

Yohanes Budiarto Tarumanagara University, Jakarta, Indonesia https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2716-9378
Rahmah Hastuti Tarumanagara University, Jakarta, Indonesia https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9164-8707

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.19090/pp.v19i3.2597

Keywords:

being phubbed, empathy, phubbing, vulnerable narcissism, adolescents

Abstract

Despite the increasing attention towards phubbing, little is known about the association between being phubbed, vulnerable narcissism, and phubbing behavior among adolescents, as well as the mediating role that empathy plays in such associations. A total of 253 Indonesian adolescents (66.3% female) filled in the measures of phubbing, being phubbed, vulnerable narcissism, and empathy. The structural equation modelling results indicated that being phubbed and vulnerable narcissism were negatively associated with empathy and had positive effects on phubbing behavior. In addition, empathy was found to have the largest negative effect on phubbing behavior. Regarding the mediation models, the indirect effects analyses showed that empathy partially mediates the association between being phubbed and phubbing. In contrast, no significant indirect effect was observed for vulnerable narcissism through empathy with phubbing. The results show the vicious cycle of phubbing: when adolescents are phubbed, they will have less empathy and be more likely to phub others. The findings imply that interventions to reduce phubbing should primarily target empathy and interpersonal and personality factors.

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