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Interdependent self‐construal moderates coping with (but not the initial pain of) ostracism
Author(s) -
Ren Dongning,
Wesselmann Eric D.,
Williams Kipling D.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
asian journal of social psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.5
H-Index - 49
eISSN - 1467-839X
pISSN - 1367-2223
DOI - 10.1111/ajsp.12037
Subject(s) - ostracism , psychology , coping (psychology) , distress , self construal , social psychology , interdependence , construal level theory , clinical psychology , political science , law
Ostracism – being excluded and ignored – can cause psychological distress. There has been little research examining how a person's concept of self might influence the effects of ostracism. In the current study, we sought to examine the effect of self‐construal on the distress created by ostracism. Specifically, we assessed the potential moderating effects of self‐construal on both the initial distress of ostracism and the coping process. Participants, recruited in C hina, completed a self‐construal measure and were either included or ostracized in an online ball‐tossing game. They then reported need‐satisfaction both immediately following the game and after a filler task. Interdependent self‐construal facilitated participants' recovery from some of the negative effects of ostracism, but did not have an impact on the initial pain.