{
  "id": 55001,
  "title": "A 12-country study highlights regional differences in ghosting behaviors and attitudes",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/02/a-12-country-study-highlights-regional-differences-in-ghosting",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-08-02T18:00:26.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "PsyPost",
    "slug": "psypost",
    "url": "https://www.psypost.org/a-12-country-study-highlights-regional-differences-in-ghosting-behaviors-and-attitudes/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A comprehensive study of 12 countries has revealed significant regional variations in the acceptance and prevalence of ghosting, the act of abruptly ending a relationship without explanation. The research, published in the *Journal of Social and Personal Relationships*, indicates that while the concept of ghosting is widely recognized across these nations, attitudes and behaviors surrounding the practice differ markedly.\n\nIn the first phase of the study, 885 young adults from Canada, Kenya, Mexico, Nigeria, South Africa, and the United States were surveyed. They were asked about their familiarity with ghosting and their perceptions of its acceptability, likelihood of engaging in it, and past experiences. The findings showed that roughly 96 percent of participants recognized the behavior, with varying degrees of acceptance across regions. Those from Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa were notably more accepting of ghosting compared to individuals from the United States, Canada, and Mexico.\n\nFuture intentions were also examined, with participants across all regions tending to be more inclined to ghost individuals in short-term relationships. Among this group, the average likelihood of ghosting was estimated at 52 percent, dropping to just 20 percent for long-term relationships. Additionally, ghosting friends was more common than ghosting romantic partners in most regions, with notable exceptions in Canada and Mexico.\n\nThe second phase of the study involved 1,741 adults from Brazil, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Kenya, the Philippines, and Ukraine, aged 31 on average. Similar patterns were observed, with awareness of the term \"ghosting\" ranging from 75 percent to over 35 percent, depending on the country. Acceptability varied widely, with the Philippines and Brazil rating the practice as less acceptable compared to other surveyed nations.\n\nNotably, while high levels of acceptability did not necessarily translate to widespread actual behavior, past actions did not always match participants' stated future intentions. For instance, while Indian participants rated ghosting as relatively acceptable, they also reported higher intentions to engage in this behavior. This disconnect highlights the complexity of cultural attitudes towards ghosting and the diverse ways individuals navigate social rejection in different cultural contexts.",
  "summary": "People around the world recognize ghosting as a common way to end relationships, but how acceptable they find it varies. A new study explores how geographic location relates to this widespread form of social rejection.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}