Are you a phubber?

Chances are you could be, with the latest research revealing the average person picks up and uses their smartphone 76 times a day.

The term ‘phubbing’ (phone snubbing) was coined as part of a marketing campaign for Australia’s Macquarie Dictionary in 2012, and took off, sparking the Stop Phubbing movement.

And while it has been branded as the epitome of modern anti-social behaviour, there is still a lack of understanding as to why phubbing occurs.

A team from Charles Sturt University is looking to find out more, launching an online survey that looks at the behavioural patterns that lead to phubbing.

“You can see people using their phones in so many different social situations these days. At the dinner table, amongst friends, at the movies and even in bed,” said Professor Al-Saggaf, who is working on the project.

“Is this as a result of boredom or shortened attention spans?”

“So, we’re keen to collect information from everyday people about why they use their smartphones during social situations and how frequently they do, and what kind of things they’re doing on their phones while with other people.”

While previous research in this field has looked mainly at phenomena such as smartphone and internet addiction and the different social situations associated with phubbing, there is yet to be any substantial research that combines these issues.

The anonymous survey looks to answer questions such as why people use their smartphones in social interactions, and with whom are they conversing with when they choose to look at their phone.

The study comes as Apple continues to face criticism regarding iPhones being too addictive.

Earlier this month two of Apple’s shareholders, JANA Partners LLC and the California State Teachers’ Retirement System, published an open letter to Apple requesting the tech powerhouse take more care regarding child and teen technology addiction.

“It is true that Apple’s customer satisfaction levels remain incredibly high, which is no surprise given the quality of its products,” it said.

“However, there is also a growing societal unease about whether at least some people are getting too much of a good thing when it comes to technology.”

To find out if you're a phubber, click here.