The Silence of the Screen: Reciprocity Asymmetry and the Modern Dating Loop

Challenges in dating include issues related to communication and reciprocity asymmetry. For example, one individual may express their attraction to someone via a dating app and send a message accordingly.

The recipient may then provide no response or simply remain silent. Despite this, the app indicates that the recipient is currently online and has recently viewed the sender’s profile. This behaviour is often referred to as ghosting.

Ironically, the person who ghosted may still expect to be understood and respected, despite the fact that ghosting can be considered dehumanising.