Does the shielding effect affect atomic bonding?
Yes, it does. It is due to the poor shielding effect of f-orbital electrons that we see the inert pair effect; that is, $\ce{Pb^2+}$ is more stable than $\ce{Pb^4+}$. Lower oxidation states are more stable as we go down the 13, 14 &amp; 15 group. This affects the number of bonds that an atom can form.