If adsorption equilibrium and mutual saturation of the phases is not achieved instantly, it is possible to distinguish the initial spreading tension, ${\sigma }_{\text{i}}^{\text{α}\text{β}\text{δ}}$, from the final spreading tension, ${\sigma }_{\text{i}}^{\text{α}\text{β}\text{δ}}$, when equilibrium has been reached. In the case in which ${\sigma }_{\text{i}}^{\text{α}\text{β}\text{δ}}$ is positive, while ${\sigma }_{\text{i}}^{\text{α}\text{β}\text{δ}}$ is negative, the system is said to exhibit autophobicity.