TY - JOUR
T1 - Motivations for Prevention or Promotion Following Social Exclusion
T2 - Being Rejected Versus Being Ignored
AU - Molden, Daniel C.
AU - Lucas, Gale M.
AU - Gardner, Wendi L.
AU - Dean, Kristy
AU - Knowles, Megan L.
PY - 2009/2
Y1 - 2009/2
N2 - Social exclusion evokes powerful motivations and emotions. The present studies examined how these motivations and emotions might differ following exclusion that is explicit, active, and direct (i.e., when one is rejected) versus implicit, passive, and indirect (i.e., when one is ignored). It was hypothesized that being rejected should produce a sense of social loss and lead to more prevention-focused responses, including withdrawal from social contact, thoughts about actions one should not have taken, and increased feelings of agitation. In contrast, being ignored should produce a sense of failure to achieve social gain and lead to more promotion-focused responses, including reengagement in social contact, thoughts about actions one should have taken, and increased feelings of dejection. These hypotheses were supported across 4 studies in which people recalled or underwent experiences of being rejected or ignored. Past research on active versus passive exclusion is reexamined and found to be consistent with these hypotheses as well.
AB - Social exclusion evokes powerful motivations and emotions. The present studies examined how these motivations and emotions might differ following exclusion that is explicit, active, and direct (i.e., when one is rejected) versus implicit, passive, and indirect (i.e., when one is ignored). It was hypothesized that being rejected should produce a sense of social loss and lead to more prevention-focused responses, including withdrawal from social contact, thoughts about actions one should not have taken, and increased feelings of agitation. In contrast, being ignored should produce a sense of failure to achieve social gain and lead to more promotion-focused responses, including reengagement in social contact, thoughts about actions one should have taken, and increased feelings of dejection. These hypotheses were supported across 4 studies in which people recalled or underwent experiences of being rejected or ignored. Past research on active versus passive exclusion is reexamined and found to be consistent with these hypotheses as well.
KW - anxiety versus dejection
KW - counterfactual thinking
KW - regulatory focus
KW - social exclusion
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=60749111263&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=60749111263&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1037/a0012958
DO - 10.1037/a0012958
M3 - Article
C2 - 19159140
AN - SCOPUS:60749111263
SN - 0022-3514
VL - 96
SP - 415
EP - 431
JO - Journal of personality and social psychology
JF - Journal of personality and social psychology
IS - 2
ER -
