56% of S'poreans have ghosted others due to 'lack of connection': Dating app survey

Boo to ghosting.

Lean Jinghui | October 26, 2022, 05:18 PM

Follow us on Telegram for the latest updates: https://t.me/mothershipsg

Three in five Singaporean singles have ghosted someone or have been ghosted, according to a nationwide study conducted by Bumble, a dating and social networking app.

According to an Oct. 25 press release, the Bumble survey was conducted online with 1,001 "Gen Zs and millennials" in Singapore, from Aug. 5 to 16, 2022.

Generation Zs refer to those born from 1997 onwards, while millennials refer to those born between 1981 and 1996.

For the uninitiated, ghosting is when a person cuts off all communication without explanation, and can range from not responding to a text to not showing up for a date, according to The New York Times.

Most ghost due to lack of connection

About 57 per cent of respondents said that they have ghosted someone, while about 61 per cent have been ghosted before in Singapore, the survey found.

Amongst those who ghosted, most said that they did so because of a lack of connection (56 per cent), being busy (43 per cent), and wanting to avoid the awkwardness of ending a relationship (37 per cent).

According to the survey, women (55 per cent) were significantly more likely than men (30 per cent) to ghost, if their date did or said something that turned them off.

A whopping 73 per cent of respondents were ghosted after exchanging a few text messages.

Millennials more likely than Gen Zs to ghost

Amongst those who responded, Gen Zs appeared to have a stronger anti-ghosting stance than millennials, with 69 per cent believing that ghosting is an inappropriate action.

About 60 per cent of millennials responded that they were more likely to ghost someone due to lack of connection. Meanwhile, about 51 per cent of Gen Zs shared that they would do so for the same reason.

In addition, 38 per cent of millennial respondents were found to believe that ghosting is a "normal phenomenon", compared to just 20 per cent of Gen Zs.

However, amongst all respondents, comprising both Gen Zs and millennials, 65 per cent agreed that ghosting is not a suitable way to end relationships.

Those who have been ghosted shared that they become discouraged (42 per cent), less confident (38 per cent), and wary (34 per cent) when it comes to dating thereafter.

In particular, men (44 per cent) were more likely than women (30 per cent) to feel less confident in their approach to dating after being ghosted.

Lucille McCart, APAC Communications Director of Bumble, shared that the online dating app is "firmly against" ghosting, and encouraged folks to be kind. She adds:

“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 – there are plenty more people on Bumble who would love the chance to get to know you.”

Top images via Unsplash