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A42 - How Social Identity Differences Affect Motivations for Ghosting
Ghosting is a strategy to end a relationship by cutting off all contact. Though many studies have examined the general experience of ghosting, very few have investigated whether one’s social identity (e.g., gender identity) affects such experiences, such as the motivation to ghost.
A42 - How Social Identity Differences Affect Motivations for Ghosting
Mentor: Allison Farrell, Ph.D.
Ghosting is a strategy to end a relationship by cutting off all contact. Though many studies have examined the general experience of ghosting, very few have investigated whether one’s social identity (e.g., gender identity) affects such experiences, such as the motivation to ghost. Because sexual and gender minority people have greater safety concerns due to stigma, they may be more motivated to ghost due to safety reasons. Therefore, we aim to examine whether there are sexual and gender identity differences in one’s motivations to ghost, specifically regarding safety concerns and avoiding confrontation. We predict that sexual and gender minority participants will report greater motivations to ghost due to safety concerns and avoiding confrontations more than participants with majority sexual and gender identities. To accomplish this, participants will be recruited from Prolific, an online recruitment platform, to obtain a diverse, non-college sample. Participants will complete a survey that includes a ghosting motivation scale and other various relevant scales. The results of the proposed study will add to the ghosting literature by examining understudied and underrepresented populations that can be investigated in future research.