The name comes from Clipippy, this little trombone which arose without warning on computer screens in the late 90s. In a relationship, it embodies the one who reappears at his convenience. A behavior as disarming as it is active, where sporadic messages are enough to keep a grip, without ever opening the door to real intimacy. A scheme that psychiatrists are starting to identify and decipher.
What really hides the behavior of “paper clipping”
Behind these intermittent contacts, intention is not commitment, but emotional control. According to psychologist Limor Gottlieb, these profiles do not seek a long -term relationship. They “are emotionally unavailable, avoid intimacy and therefore keep short conversations“. In some cases,”This person may already be in a relationship and want to keep you on the back and old“, she warns in Metro.
The effect is often insidious: instead of cutting the bridges (as Ghosting does), the Paper Clipper maintains them just enough to stay in your mind. This behavior can be strategic, or simply immature. But in any case, he leaves traces.
Why these relationships do more harm than good
The most confusing is this mixture of hope and disappointment. Dr. Sarah Taylor, lecturer in psychology in Cardiff, sees it as a form of gentle emotional manipulation. “”The sudden return of the Paper Clipper gives the person waiting for attention an instant gratuity“, she explains. But this renewed interest never lasts.
The impact is immense: “Frustration, confusion and false hopes“, According to the psychologist. Unexpected messages revive the flame, but the absence of a result turns off any possibility of construction. The feeling of being used is never far away. And over time, self -confidence is weakening.
Profiles favored by apps and networks
This phenomenon does not come out of nowhere. It is amplified by meeting applications and the culture of rapid consumption of relationships. “”They are likely to be emotionally immature, unable to engage, and often in lack of esteem of themselves“Observes Dr. Taylor again.
In this context, the Paper Clipper can multiply the superficial links, reappear according to his desires, and never have to account. A strategy facilitated by networks, where a simple message is enough to reopen a door that you thought, however, closed.