Ignorance is not always bliss: A qualitative study of young Adults' experiences with being ghosted

IF 1.8 4区心理学 Q2 COMMUNICATION

PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS Pub Date : 2024-04-29 DOI:10.1111/pere.12547

Karen Wu, Olajide Bamishigbin

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Ghosting, or ignoring someone to end a relationship, is often considered a harmful aspect of growing digital connectivity. However, research on ghosting has focused on the experiences of European/European Americans in romantic contexts. Thus, we broadly explored experiences of being ghosted among 29 undergraduates primarily from underrepresented populations (75.9% Latinx, 6.9% Asian, 6.9% Black) in the United States. We conducted face‐to‐face semi‐structured interviews regarding general experiences with being ghosted, a memorable experience of being ghosted, and attitudes toward ghosting. Inductive thematic analysis yielded eight themes surrounding the process of being ghosted (Sensing Shifts in Communication Patterns), ghosting attributions (Unreciprocated Feelings, Incompatibility), responses to ghosting (Stages of Grief, Various Coping Methods, Lost Respect for Ghoster, Insight from Experiencing Both Sides), and ghosting attitudes (Good Reasons). Future research might examine the role of both individual (e.g., cultural values) and situational (e.g., ghosting circumstance) factors in various trajectories of ghosting responses, as well as the psychological consequences of these trajectories.

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无知不一定是福：青年成人被鬼魂骚扰经历的定性研究

"幽灵"（Ghosting），即忽略某人以结束一段关系，通常被认为是日益增长的数字连接的一个有害方面。然而，关于 "幽灵 "的研究主要集中在欧美人在恋爱环境中的经历。因此，我们广泛探讨了美国 29 名本科生（主要来自代表性不足的人群，其中拉丁裔占 75.9%，亚裔占 6.9%，黑人占 6.9%）被鬼魂缠身的经历。我们进行了面对面的半结构化访谈，内容涉及被幽灵附身的一般经历、难忘的被幽灵附身经历以及对幽灵附身的态度。归纳式主题分析得出了八个主题，分别围绕被鬼魂缠绕的过程（感觉到交流模式的转变）、鬼魂缠绕的归因（未得到回应的感情、不协调）、对鬼魂缠绕的反应（悲伤阶段、各种应对方法、失去对缠绕者的尊重、双方经历的启示）以及对鬼魂缠绕的态度（好的理由）。未来的研究可能会考察个人因素（如文化价值观）和情境因素（如鬼魂缠绕的环境）在各种鬼魂缠绕反应轨迹中的作用，以及这些轨迹的心理后果。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS Multiple-

CiteScore

2.40

自引率

6.20%

发文量

期刊介绍： Personal Relationships, first published in 1994, is an international, interdisciplinary journal that promotes scholarship in the field of personal relationships using a wide variety of methodologies and throughout a broad range of disciplines, including psychology, sociology, communication studies, anthropology, family studies, child development, social work, and gerontology. The subject matter and approach of Personal Relationships will be of interest to researchers, teachers, and practitioners. Manuscripts examining a wide range of personal relationships, including those between romantic or intimate partners, spouses, parents and children, siblings, classmates, coworkers, neighbors, and friends are welcome.