3 out of 5 Singaporeans have ghosted or have been ghosted while dating, even if 65% say it’s not right to ghost someone

A recent survey of dating carried out by Bumble showed that while a high number of Singaporeans disapprove of ghosting during dating, three out of five have done it or have had it done to them.

Ouch. It’s never fun to get ghosted, which is what happens when someone suddenly ends all communication for no apparent reason.

Like a spooky specter, they just disappear.

Bumble’s survey, carried out online among 1,001 Gen Z and millennials in Singapore in early August, showed that 65 per cent of all respondents said they think ghosting is the wrong way to end a relationship.  

Gen Zers, perhaps the kindest and wokest generation to date, had the highest percentage—69—of ghosting disapprovers, while 38 per cent of millennials say they think it’s a “normal” phenomenon.

However, 57 per cent of those who participated the survey admitted to having ghosted someone, while 61 per cent say they’ve gone through the unpleasant experience of being ghosted.

And among those who were ghosted, 73 per cent said it happened shortly after just a few message exchanges.

The biggest reason for ghosting for both sexes is a lack of connection (56 per cent).

And surprise, surprise! Women tend to resort to ghosting more than men do when they get turned off by a prospective date.

When it comes to ghosting due to lack of connection, three out of five millennials say they’d do so, but only 51 per cent of Gen Zers say the same.

Others, however, cited busyness (43 per cent) and wanting to avoid the awkwardness of explaining why they’ll no longer communicate (37 per cent) as the reason for justifying ghosting someone.

Moreover, ghosting can leave some emotional scars on those who’ve experienced it. While 42 per cent of the respondents said they were left discouraged, 38 per cent said they became less confident and 34 per cent said they grew wary of dating because of having been ghosted.

Ghosting, it seems, is harder on men’s confidence (44 per cent) in comparison to the effect it has on women (30 per cent).

The ghostees said they become discouraged (42%), less confident (38%), and wary (34%) of dating as a result. This particularly punctures the confidence of men (44%) more than women (30%).

Ms Lucille McCart, Bumble’s Asia-Pacific communications director, said in a press release: “At Bumble, we are firmly against ghosting, and believe that it is always better to have open and honest conversations if you’d like to end a relationship, or even just a correspondence.

“It may be uncomfortable, but this momentary discomfort is an act of kindness and respect and will allow the person to receive closure to move on.”

She added, “If you have ever been ghosted and it has made you feel disheartened, move forward with the knowledge that they aren’t the right match for you.”

/TISG

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