Health · Mental Health · 2 hrs ago
Studies Find Many People Who Ghost Feel Guilty Afterwards
Ghosting means suddenly ending contact without explanation, often leaving the other person confused.
Three studies involving real experiences, imagined situations and live interactions found that many people who ghosted reported guilt, shame or remorse.
The studies were conducted by researchers from the University of California, Berkeley and the University of Cambridge.
People who had been ghosted often underestimated how bad the ghosters felt, especially when the silence was unintentional.
Ghosters felt better when they did not see their actions as ghosting or sent a brief reply instead of disappearing.
The findings have limits: participants’ accounts may not reflect their true feelings, and experimental situations may differ from everyday life.
Anyone considering ghosting may feel worse later, so a short response could be less troubling than vanishing without a word.
Three studies found that many people who ghost others report guilt, shame and remorse afterward.
The findings were published in a paper titled “The Pain of Ghosting?: People Underestimate How Bad Their Conversation Partners Feel About Not Responding.”
People who had been ghosted tended to underestimate how badly the ghosters felt.
Ghosters reported feeling better when they did not see their actions as ghosting or sent a brief reply instead of disappearing without a trace.
The article cautioned that self-reported feelings and experimental study results may not reflect how all ghosters feel.
- Who
- Researchers Sophia Li and Juliana Schroeder of the University of California, Berkeley Haas School of Business, and Coral Zheng of the University of Cambridge Judge Business School.
- What
- Three studies found that many ghosters reported guilt, shame and remorse. People who were ghosted tended to underestimate those feelings.
- When
- The article was published on October 18, 2026. The dates of the studies are not stated.
- Where
- The studies involved participants recalling ghosting experiences, imagining scenarios and taking part in a live interaction. Specific locations are not stated.
- Why
- Not stated
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- Studies
- 3
- Participants in study 1
- 195 people recalled real ghosting experiences
- Participants in study 2
- 601 people imagined ghosting scenarios
- Participants in study 3
- 350 people took part in a live interaction
- Published
- October 18, 2026