‘Ghosting’: Why people do it and its psychological impact

Shoppers at a mall send text messages using mobile phones September 9, 2009. Consumers in the Philippines are up in arms over a plan in Congress to impose excise tax on text and multimedia messages sent through mobile phones. With some 70 million mobile phone users and up to 300 million messages criss-crossing across mobile networks, the Philippines is widely considered as the world's texting capital. AFP PHOTO / JAY DIRECTO (Photo credit should read JAY DIRECTO/AFP/Getty Images)

Orbiting, zombieing, breadcrumbing… these are only a few trends that have emerged in today’s digital age of social media and online dating.

But the most ubiquitous of them all might be the dating trend known as “ghosting.” According to the Urban Dictionary, ghosting is “the act of suddenly ceasing all communication with someone the subject is dating, but no longer wishes to date.” The phenomenon, however, has since surpassed dating and made its way into friendships and even the labor market.

So why do people choose to “ghost” their partners or friends? And what consequences does it have on people on the receiving end? If you’ve ever ghosted someone, what led you to make that decision? And if you’ve ever been ghosted, what impact did it have on you? Call us and weigh in at 866-893-5722.

With guest host Libby Denkmann

Guests:

Ebony A. Utley, professor of communication studies at California State University, Long Beach; she tweets

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Cortney S. Warren, clinical psychologist, adjunct professor of psychology at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and adjunct clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of Nevada School of Medicine; she tweets

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