The Quiet Shift in Digital Communication: Ghosting, Parasocial Relationships, and Digital Silence Among Indonesian Young Adults

This paper explores three emerging communication behaviors among Indonesian young adults: ghosting, parasocial relationships, and digital silence. Using an exploratory mixed-methods approach, the study combines survey responses from 20 participants and follow-up interviews with five participants aged 18–30. The findings suggest that these behaviors are interconnected and often arise from communication fatigue, emotional exhaustion, and changing expectations surrounding digital interaction. The study contributes to discussions on digital communication, media psychology, and online social behavior by highlighting how young adults navigate connection and disengagement in contemporary social media environments.