Avoiding Uncertainty in the Aftermath of Ghosting: The Role of Need for Closure and Age

Abstract

With the rise of online dating, ghosting—a strategy to end a relationship without explanation—has become a prominent aspect of the modern dating scene. Because of the uncertainty this strategy entails for the ghostee, different individuals might react in different ways due to their individual level of need for closure (NFC). The current research tested the hypotheses that NFC is associated with higher attributional confidence (H1) and with a quicker conclusion of having been ghosted (H2). These associations were measured through a survey in two studies. In Study 1 (N = 25), correlation analyses showed partial support for H1, whereas H2 was not supported. In Study 2 (N = 181), hierarchical regression analyses again revealed support for H1, but not for H2. Additional analyses in Study 2 showed age to be a significant predictor for both attributional confidence and time estimation. Overall, these findings indicate that high-NFC individuals are more confident in their attributions. Furthermore, emerging adults display less attributional confidence and arrive quicker at the conclusion that they have been ghosted than adults aged 30+. These findings provide insight to the dynamics of NFC in close relationships.