Cyberostracism: effects of being ignored over the Internet

Electrophysiological evidence for sensitization effects elicited by concurrent social threats

Experiencing a social threat, such as social exclusion, is a painful event. In contrast to previous studies providing insight into the processing of a single short-termed threat, we exposed healthy individuals to the simultaneous onset of different social threats. This approach allowed us to track whether these threats are processed independently-or whether they interact in a common system. Using a virtual ball-throwing game (Cyberball), electrophysiological (event-related brain potentials, ERPs) and behavioral (self-reports) responses were collected. We assigned undergraduates to three experimental groups: single threat exclusion (n = 24), single threat loss of control (n = 26), and joint onset of both threats (dual-threat, n = 25). Self-reports indicated an increase in threats (i.e., in perceived exclusion and loss-of-control) in the latter group. The ERPs disentangled the neural responses to each threat: In the dual-threat group, the amplitudes of the P3 responses to exclusionary and intervention events were enhanced. This indicates that individuals are sensitized to each of the threats when the other threat is present simultaneously. Our findings support the theoretical notion of a common cognitive system responding to violations in subjective expectations.

Differences in Aggressive Behavior of Individuals with Different Self-Construal Types after Social Exclusion in the Same Cultural Background

Aggressive behavior is one of the pervasive and costly negative behaviors in everyday life. Previous studies have shown that individuals who are excluded tend to exhibit more aggressive behaviors, but it is unclear whether the type of self-construction of individuals in the same cultural background will affect the differences in aggressive behavior after being excluded. Therefore, the current study examined the differences in aggressive behavior of individuals with different self-construal types in the same cultural background after social exclusion through two experiments. A total of 128 effective participants were recruited for Experiment 1. Individuals' self-construal types were classified by the Self-Construal Scale, the cyberball game was used for the manipulation of social exclusion, and the laboratory assistant application paradigm was used to measure individuals' relational aggression. The results showed that compared with interdependent self-constructors, independent self-constructors exhibited more relational aggression in the exclusion group. A total of 141 effective participants were recruited for Experiment 2. Using the same method as Experiment 1 to classify participants' self-construal types and induce excluded experiences, the hot sauce paradigm was used to measure individuals' physical aggression. The results showed that compared with interdependent self-constructors, independent self-constructors exhibited more physical aggression in the exclusion group. The current study helps to understand whether social exclusion negatively impacts individuals with different self-constructors in the same cultural background and provides enlightenment on how individuals who are self-constructors cope with social exclusion.

The relationship between the Dark Triad and bullying among Chinese adolescents: the role of social exclusion and sense of control

Introduction

Abundant evidence has proved the association between the Dark Triad and bullying. However, the underlying mechanisms of this relationship are still not fully understood. Based on the temporal need-threat model, three studies were designed to explore the mediating role of social exclusion and sense of control in this research.

Methods

In study 1 we recruited 571 Chinese adolescents (M_age = 14.53, SD = 0.716) to participate in a cross-sectional study. And two experiments were respectively designed in Study 2 (N = 88) and Study 3 (N = 102) to verify the effects of real and cyber social exclusion on adolescent bullying behavior.

Results

Study 1 showed that social exclusion and sense of control would play the serial mediating role in the relationship between the Dark Triad and bullying (except social exclusion as a mediator between the Dark Triad and cyberbullying). Study 2 and 3 showed that adolescents with high Dark Triad show lower sense of control and more bullying behavior after experiencing social exclusion.

Discussion

These findings extend the research on the Dark Triad and bullying by providing a solid empirical foundation and intervention strategies to avoid bullying so that the problem can be rationally and scientifically approached.

Acute Ostracism-Related Pain Sensitization in the Context of Accumulated Lifetime Experiences of Ostracism

Ostracism (ie, being ignored/excluded) is a form of social adversity that powerfully impacts health and well-being. While laboratory research indicates that experimentally manipulated experiences of ostracism impact pain, findings have been mixed. Prior investigations have not considered moderating or main effects of individual histories of ostracism, and have been limited in the scope of their pain testing. In this study, participants without current pain reported lifetime experiences of ostracism prior to a laboratory visit where they were randomized to experience either a single episode of ostracism (ie, acute ostracism) or control condition that was immediately followed by quantitative sensory testing. Results indicate that the experimental effect of a single episode of ostracism on pain ratings, after-sensations, and temporal summation of pain is moderated by lifetime ostracism; no main effects were found. For individuals with histories of more lifetime ostracism, encountering a single episode of ostracism led to greater pain sensitization relative to the control condition, whereas no experimental effect was observed for individuals with little lifetime exposure to ostracism. These findings indicate that acute experiences of ostracism may be accompanied by periods of hyperalgesia for people who are chronically ostracized, implicating ostracism as a potential social moderator of pain sensitization. People who are stigmatized may therefore experience enhanced pain burden with repeated and accumulating experiences of ostracism. PERSPECTIVE: Results suggest that in the context of accumulated lifetime experiences of ostracism, single experiences of ostracism evoke central sensitization. In this way, ostracism may function to trigger central sensitization and shape socially- and societally-determined patterns of pain burden and disparity.

Excitatory Dorsal Lateral Prefrontal Cortex Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Increases Social Anxiety

Social exclusion refers to the experience of rejection by one or more people during a social event and can induce pain-related sensations. Cyberball, a computer program, is one of the most common tools for analyzing social exclusion. Regions of the brain that underlie social pain include networks linked to the dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). Specifically, self-directed negative socially induced exclusion is associated with changes in DLPFC activity. Direct manipulation of this area may provide a better understanding of how the DLPFC can influence the perception of social exclusion and determine a causal role of the DLPFC. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) was applied to both the left and right DLPFC to gauge different reactions to the Cyberball experience. It was found that there were elevated exclusion indices following right DLPFC rTMS; participants consistently felt more excluded when the right DLPFC was excited. This may relate to greater feelings of social pain when the right DLPFC is manipulated. These data demonstrate that direct manipulation of the DLPFC results in changes in responses to social exclusion.

Facing ostracism: micro-coding facial expressions in the Cyberball social exclusion paradigm

BACKGROUND

Social exclusion is often measured with the Cyberball paradigm, a computerized ball-tossing game. Most Cyberball studies, however, used self-report questionnaires, leaving the data vulnerable to reporter bias, and associations with individual characteristics have been inconsistent.

METHODS

In this large-scale observational study, we video-recorded 4,813 10-year-old children during Cyberball and developed a real-time micro-coding method measuring facial expressions of anger, sadness and contempt, in a multi-ethnic population-based sample. We estimated associations between facial expressions and self-reported negative feelings, explored associations of child characteristics such as sex and parental national origin with observed and self-reported feelings during social exclusion, and tested associations of observed and self-reported feelings during social exclusion with behavior problems at age 14.

RESULTS

Facial expressions of sadness and anger were associated with self-reported negative feelings during the game, but not with such feelings after the game. Further, girls reported to have had less negative feelings during the game than boys, but no such sex-differences were found in total observed emotions. Likewise, children with parents of Moroccan origin reported less negative feelings during the game than Dutch children, but their facial expressions did not indicate that they were differently affected. Last, observed emotions related negatively to later internalizing problems, whereas self-report on negative feelings during the game related positively to later internalizing and externalizing problems.

CONCLUSIONS

We show that facial expressions are associated with self-reported negative feelings during social exclusion, discuss that reporter-bias might be minimized using facial expressions, and find divergent associations of observed facial expressions and self-reported negative feelings with later internalizing problems.

Ostracism modulates children's recognition of emotional facial expressions

Ostracism has been shown to induce considerable physiological, behavioral and cognitive changes in adults. Previous research demonstrated its effects on children's cognitive and behavioral abilities, but less is known about its impact on their capacity to recognize subtle variations in social cues. The present study aimed at investigating whether social manipulations of inclusion and ostracism modulate emotion recognition abilities in children, and whether this modulation varies across childhood. To do so, 5- and 10-year-old children participated in a computer-based ball tossing game called Cyberball during which they were either included or ostracized. Then, they completed a facial emotion recognition task in which they were required to identify neutral facial expressions, or varying levels of intensity of angry and fearful facial expressions. Results indicated lower misidentification rates for children who were previously ostracized as compared to children who were previously included, both at 5 and 10 years of age. Moreover, when looking at children's accuracy and sensitivity to facial expressions, 5-year-olds' decoding abilities were affected by the social manipulation, while no difference between included and ostracized participants was observed for 10-year-olds. In particular, included and ostracized 10-year-old children as well as ostracized 5-year-olds showed higher accuracy and sensitivity for expressions of fear as compared to anger, while no such difference was observed for included 5-year-olds. Overall, the current study presents evidence that Cyberball-induced inclusion and ostracism modulate children's recognition of emotional faces.

Keeping up with the kids: the value of co-production in the study of irritability in youth depression and its underlying neural circuitry

Irritability is a core symptom of adolescent depression, characterized by an increased proneness to anger or frustration. Irritability in youth is associated with future mental health problems and impaired social functioning, suggesting that it may be an early indicator of emotion regulation difficulties. Adolescence is a period during which behavior is significantly impacted by one's environment. However, existing research on the neural basis of irritability typically use experimental paradigms that overlook the social context in which irritability occurs. Here, we bring together current findings on irritability in adolescent depression and the associated neurobiology and highlight directions for future research. Specifically, we emphasize the importance of co-produced research with young people as a means to improve the construct and ecological validity of research within the field. Ensuring that our research design and methodology accurately reflect to lives of young people today lays a strong foundation upon which to better understand adolescent depression and identify tractable targets for intervention.

Ostracism and sharing in an intergroup context

Previous research suggests that social exclusion is linked to a decrease in individuals' prosocial behavior. However, this effect has not been examined in an intergroup context. We manipulated social acceptance (using the Cyberball game) to examine participants' sharing with ingroup or outgroup members in a minimal group paradigm. Results revealed that when the prospective recipient was a group member who rejected them, socially excluded participants shared less than their socially accepted counterparts. However, when faced with members of an outgroup, socially excluded participants showed similar levels of prosocial behavior as their socially accepted counterparts. Further results suggest that the tendency of socially excluded participants to act in a less prosocial manner toward members of a group that had rejected them was generalized to the group as a whole (including group members with whom there had been no previous interaction). We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of these findings.

Do targets of ostracism truthfully communicate their emotional reactions to sources?

Ostracism triggers negative emotions such as sadness, anger, and hurt feelings. Do targets of ostracism truthfully share their emotions with the sources of ostracism? Drawing on past research on social-functional accounts of emotions and interpersonal emotion regulation, we investigated the possibility that targets may misrepresent their emotions (i.e., gaming emotions). We conducted three experiments (N = 1058; two pre-registered) using an online ball-tossing game, in which participants were randomly assigned to be included or ostracized. Consistent with the literature, we found that ostracized individuals were more hurt, sad, and angry than included individuals. However, we found little and inconsistent evidence that ostracized (vs included) individuals misrepresented their emotional reactions to the sources. Further, Bayesian analyses offered more support against misrepresentation of emotions. These findings suggest that targets of ostracism truthfully communicated their social pain to the sources.

Commonly reported negative experiences on social media are associated with poor mental health and well-being among adolescents: results from the "LifeOnSoMe"-study

Introduction

Cyberbullying has been extensively studied and is associated with adverse mental health outcomes in adolescents. However, adolescents may also experience a range of other negative experiences, such as name-calling, threats, exclusion, and unwanted attention or contact from others. Few studies have investigated how adolescents' mental health is affected by these relatively common and less severe types of negative experiences on social media (SOME). To assess the association between mental health outcomes and two aspects of negative experiences on SOME; unwanted attention and negative acts and exclusion.

Methods

This study is based on a survey conducted in 2020/21 consisting of 3,253 Norwegian adolescents (56% female, M_age = 17 years). Eight statements about negative experiences on SOME were asked and combined into two composite measures: "Unwanted attention from others" and "Negative acts and exclusion." Dependent variables in regression models were symptoms of anxiety, symptoms of depression, and mental well-being. Covariates in all models included age, gender, subjective socioeconomic status, and amount of SOME-use.

Results

Both "negative acts and exclusion" and "unwanted attention from others" on SOME were consistently positively associated with self-reported symptoms of depression and anxiety, and negatively associated with mental well-being in both crude and adjusted analysis.

Discussion

The results are indicative of an important relationship between experiencing negative events on SOME, even presumably less severe events, and worse mental health and well-being. Future research should extricate the potential causal relationship between negative experiences on SOME and mental health, as well as exploring potential precipitating and intermediating factors.

Rejection Distress Suppresses Medial Prefrontal Cortex in Borderline Personality Disorder

BACKGROUND

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is characterized by an elevated distress response to social exclusion (i.e., rejection distress), the neural mechanisms of which remain unclear. Functional magnetic resonance imaging studies of social exclusion have relied on the classic version of the Cyberball task, which is not optimized for functional magnetic resonance imaging. Our goal was to clarify the neural substrates of rejection distress in BPD using a modified version of Cyberball, which allowed us to dissociate the neural response to exclusion events from its modulation by exclusionary context.

METHODS

Twenty-three women with BPD and 22 healthy control participants completed a novel functional magnetic resonance imaging modification of Cyberball with 5 runs of varying exclusion probability and rated their rejection distress after each run. We tested group differences in the whole-brain response to exclusion events and in the parametric modulation of that response by rejection distress using mass univariate analysis.

RESULTS

Although rejection distress was higher in participants with BPD (F1,40 = 5.25, p = .027, η2 = 0.12), both groups showed similar neural responses to exclusion events. However, as rejection distress increased, the rostromedial prefrontal cortex response to exclusion events decreased in the BPD group but not in control participants. Stronger modulation of the rostromedial prefrontal cortex response by rejection distress was associated with higher trait rejection expectation, r = -0.30, p = .050.

CONCLUSIONS

Heightened rejection distress in BPD might stem from a failure to maintain or upregulate the activity of the rostromedial prefrontal cortex, a key node of the mentalization network. Inverse coupling between rejection distress and mentalization-related brain activity might contribute to heightened rejection expectation in BPD.

Effects of acute psychosocial stress on source level EEG power and functional connectivity measures

The usage of EEG to uncover the influence of psychosocial stressors (PSSs) on neural activity has gained significant attention throughout recent years, but the results are often troubled by confounding stressor types. To investigate the effect of PSSs alone on neural activity, we employed a paradigm where participants are exposed to negative peer comparison as PSS, while other possible stressors are kept constant, and compared this with a condition where participants received neutral feedback. We analyzed commonly used sensor level EEG indices (frontal theta, alpha, and beta power) and further investigated whether source level power and functional connectivity (i.e., the temporal dependence between spatially seperated brain regions) measures, which have to our knowledge not yet been used, are more sensitive to PSSs than sensor level-derived EEG measures. Our results show that on sensor level, no significant frontal power changes are present (all p's > 0.16), indicating that sensor level frontal power measures are not sensitive enough to be affected by only PSSs. On source level, we find increased alpha power (indicative of decreased cortical activity) in the left- and right precuneus and right posterior cingulate cortex (all p's < 0.03) and increased functional connectivity between the left- and right precuneus (p < 0.001), indicating that acute, trial based PSSs lead to decreased precuneus/PCC activity, and possibly indicates a temporary disruption in the self-referential neural processes of an individual.

Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation for the Modulation of Aggressive Behavior-A Systematic Review of Randomized Sham-Controlled Studies

INTRO

Aggressive behavior represents a significant public health issue, with relevant social, political, and security implications. Non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) techniques may modulate aggressive behavior through stimulation of the prefrontal cortex.

AIMS

To review research on the effectiveness of NIBS to alter aggression, discuss the main findings and potential limitations, consider the specifics of the techniques and protocols employed, and discuss clinical implications.

METHODS

A systematic review of the literature available in the PubMed database was carried out, and 17 randomized sham-controlled studies investigating the effectiveness of NIBS techniques on aggression were included. Exclusion criteria included reviews, meta-analyses, and articles not referring to the subject of interest or not addressing cognitive and emotional modulation aims.

CONCLUSIONS

The reviewed data provide promising evidence for the beneficial effects of tDCS, conventional rTMS, and cTBS on aggression in healthy adults, forensic, and clinical samples. The specific stimulation target is a key factor for the success of stimulation on aggression modulation. rTMS and cTBS showed opposite effects on aggression compared with tDCS. However, due to the heterogeneity of stimulation protocols, experimental designs, and samples, we cannot exclude other factors that may play a confounding role.

Reimagining rumination? The unique role of mental imagery in adolescents' affective and physiological response to rumination and distraction

Rumination is associated with increased risk for depression whereas distraction helps draw attention away from negative experiences, lowering risk. Many individuals who ruminate do so in the form of mental imagery and imagery-based rumination is more highly associated with depressive symptom severity than ruminating in the form of verbal thoughts. We do not yet understand why imagery-based rumination may be especially problematic nor how to intervene to reduce imagery-based rumination, however. Adolescents (N = 145) underwent a negative mood induction followed by experimental induction of rumination or distraction in the form of mental imagery or verbal thought while affective, high-frequency heart rate variability, and skin conductance response data were collected. Rumination was associated with similar affective, high-frequency heart rate variability, and skin conductance response regardless of whether adolescents were induced to ruminate in the form of mental imagery or verbal thought. Distraction led to greater affective improvement and greater increases in high-frequency heart rate variability, but similar skin conductance responses when adolescents were inducted to distract themselves in the form of mental imagery compared with verbal thought. Findings emphasize the importance of considering mental imagery in clinical contexts when assessing rumination and when intervening using distraction.

Does Level of Social Support During Rejection Affect Pain Sensitivity and Distress?

This study investigated whether level of social support would decrease emotional distress and physical pain sensitivity following rejection. Healthy undergraduate students received varying levels of social support from a close companion during the Partial Future Life Alone rejection paradigm. Participants also completed baseline and post-stressor measures of physical pain sensitivity as well as post-stressor measures of emotional distress. Results indicated that all levels of social support benefited rejected participants by either buffering and/or improving fundamental needs, mood, and pain to levels comparable to non-rejected participants; however, passive support resulted in the fewest beneficial outcomes. The current study provides preliminary evidence that even minimal levels of support during rejection benefits or at least neutralizes associated pain and distress outcomes.

A boost in self-esteem after positive social evaluation predicts social and non-social learning

Fluctuations in self-esteem resulting from social acceptance and rejection could guide social behaviour by putting us in a state that is more or less open to social experiences. However, it remains unclear whether social acceptance and rejection may shape learning from social information depending on individual differences in self-esteem changes. Here we used a social feedback paradigm to manipulate social acceptance and rejection in a between-subjects design. Subsequently, we administered a behavioural task that enables the assessment of how well individuals learn on the basis of own experiences versus social information. Participants receiving positive (N = 43) versus negative (N = 44) social evaluation demonstrated an increase in subjective self-esteem. Importantly, the effect of the social evaluation on social learning was moderated by self-esteem changes. Specifically, an increase in self-esteem, as induced by positive evaluation, was associated with increased learning from social, but decreased learning from individual information. A decrease in self-esteem in response to negative evaluation was associated with decreased learning from individual information. These data suggest that increases in self-esteem in response to positive evaluation can induce a shift in the inclination to use social versus non-social information and may open one up to constructive learning from others.

Brain connectivity during social exclusion differs depending on the closeness within a triad among older adults living in a village

Social exclusion occurs in various types of social relationships, from anonymous others to close friends. However, the role that social relationships play in social exclusion is less well known because most paradigms investigating social exclusion have been done in laboratory contexts, without considering the features of individuals' real-world social relationships. Here, we addressed this gap by examining how pre-existing social relationships with rejecters may influence the brain response of individuals experiencing social exclusion. Eighty-eight older adults living in a rural village visited the laboratory with two other participants living in the same village and played Cyberball in an Magnetic Resonance Imaging scanner. Utilizing whole-brain connectome-based predictive modeling, we analyzed functional connectivity (FC) data obtained during the social exclusion task. First, we found that the level of self-reported distress during social exclusion was significantly related to sparsity, i.e. lack of closeness, within a triad. Furthermore, the sparsity was significantly predicted by the FC model, demonstrating that a sparse triadic relationship was associated with stronger connectivity patterns in brain regions previously implicated in social pain and mentalizing during Cyberball. These findings extend our understanding of how real-world social intimacy and relationships with excluders affect neural and emotional responses to social exclusion.

The relationship between self-esteem and mobile phone addiction among college students: The chain mediating effects of social avoidance and peer relationships

Introduction

Mobile phone addiction has a negative impact on the physical and mental health of college students, which has attracted extensive attention from scholars.

Methods

In this study, we investigated the mechanism of the influence of self-esteem on mobile phone addiction among 694 college students using the Self-Esteem Scale, the Mobile Phone. Addiction Scale, the Peer Relationship Scale and the Social Avoidance and Distress Scale.

Results

The results showed that (1) self-esteem significantly and negatively predicted mobile phone addiction; (2) self-esteem influenced mobile phone addiction through the mediating effect of social avoidance; (3) self-esteem influenced mobile phone addiction through the mediating effect of peer relationships; and (4) social avoidance and peer relationships played a chain mediating role in the influence of self-esteem on mobile phone addiction.

Discussion

These findings can help researchers and educators better understand the underlying mechanisms of the relationship between self-esteem and mobile phone addiction and to provide practical and effective operational suggestions for the prevention and intervention of mobile phone addiction among college students.

Neural Correlates of Antisocial Behavior: The Victim’s Perspective

Antisocial behavior involves actions that disregard the basic rights of others and may represent a threat to the social system. The neural processes associated with being subject to antisocial behavior, including social victimization, are still unknown. In this study, we used a social interaction task during functional magnetic resonance imaging to investigate the neural bases of social victimization. Brain activation and functional connectivity (FC) were estimated and correlated with the Big 5 Questionnaire, Temperament Evaluation in Memphis, Pisa and San Diego (TEMPS-M), and a Questionnaire of Daily Frustration scores. During social victimization, the right occipital and temporal cortex showed increased activation. The temporal cortex also had reduced FC with homotopic areas. Compared to the prosocial interaction, social victimization showed hyperactivation of the dorsomedial and lateral prefrontal cortex, putamen, and thalamus and increased FC of the medial-frontal–striatal–thalamic areas with the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, insula, dorsal cingulate, and postcentral gyrus. Lastly, neuroticism, irritable temperament, and frustration scores were correlated with the magnitude of neural responses to social victimization. Our findings suggest that social victimization engages a set of regions associated with salience, emotional processing, and regulation, and these responses can be modulated by temperamental and personality traits.

Vicarious ostracism reduces observers' sense of agency

Previous findings revealed that social ostracism reduces people's implicit sense of agency. Based on theoretical claims that observed behavior of others may be cognitively represented similarly to one's own behavior, we conducted two experiments to test whether people's own sense of agency can also be impaired by observed social exclusion of others. In Experiment 1, participants recalled episodes referring to vicarious ostracism or inclusion before completing a temporal interval estimation task to assess intentional binding effects (an established implicit measure of the sense of agency). In Experiment 2, participants immersed into a newly designed virtual Cyberball game, in which they witnessed a vicarious ostracism or inclusion scenario, before completing a Libet-style temporal estimation task and an agency questionnaire (an explicit measure of the sense of agency). The findings show, for the first time, that vicarious ostracism reduces both implicit and explicit measures of agency in observers.

Does Being Ignored on WhatsApp Hurt? A Pilot Study on the Effect of a Newly Developed Ostracism Task for Adolescents

(1) Background: Many studies have used a well-known social exclusion task, namely Cyberball, to assess the psychophysiological reactions to ostracism in laboratory settings. However, this task has been recently criticized for its lack of realism. Instant messaging communication platforms are currently central communication channels where adolescents conduct their social life. These should be considered when recreating the emotional experiences that fuel the development of negative emotions. To overcome this limitation, a new ostracism task, namely SOLO (Simulated On-Line Ostracism), recreating hostile interactions (i.e., exclusion and rejection) over WhatsApp was developed. The aim of this manuscript is to compare adolescents' self-reported negative and positive affect, as well as physiological reactivity (i.e., heat rate, HR; heart rate variability, HRV) exhibited during SOLO to Cyberball. (2) Method: A total of 35 participants (Mage = 15.16; SD = 1.48; 24 females) took part in the study. The first group (n = 23; transdiagnostic group), recruited at an inpatient and outpatient unit of a clinic for children and adolescent psychiatry, psychotherapy, and psychosomatic therapy in Baden-Württemberg (Germany), reported clinical diagnoses linked with emotional dysregulation (e.g., self-injury and depression). The second group (n = 12; control group), recruited in the district of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, had no pre-existing clinical diagnoses. (3) Results: The transdiagnostic group showed higher HR (b = 4.62, p < 0.05) and lower HRV (b = 10.20, p < 0.01) in SOLO than in Cyberball. They also reported increased negative affect (interaction b = -0.5, p < 0.01) after SOLO but not after Cyberball. In the control group, no differences in either HR (p = 0.34) or HRV (p = 0.08) between tasks were found. In addition, no difference in negative affect after either task (p = 0.83) was found. (4) Conclusion: SOLO could be an ecologically valid alternative to Cyberball when assessing reactions to ostracism in adolescents with emotional dysregulation.

Social anxiety inhibits needs repair following exclusion in both relational and non-relational reward contexts: The mediating role of positive affect

The pain of social exclusion can motivate people to capitalize on opportunities to reconnect with others and repair their self-esteem and feelings of belongingness. This effect is often diminished for those with high social anxiety (HSA). Prior research suggests this may be due to their diminished capacity for recognizing and emotionally responding to relational reward cues. We investigated whether non-relational success experiences in the aftermath of exclusion may be an alternative means of repairing threatened self-esteem and belongingness in HSA individuals. In a preregistered, online study, we threatened belongingness and self-esteem in 422 participants by excluding them in a Cyberball game and then assigned them to one of three conditions: Relational Repair, Non-Relational Repair, or a No-Repair control condition. Results showed that both repair contexts facilitated needs repair relative to the no-repair control condition, and mediation analyses suggested this effect was driven by increased positive affect (PA). HSA individuals were less likely to restore needs regardless of condition and this effect appeared to be driven by low PA. Findings emphasize the critical role of PA for restoring threatened needs in the aftermath of exclusion and suggest that HSA inhibits needs repair processes across both relational and non-relational reward contexts.

Far from the eyes, far from the heart: COVID-19 confinement dampened sensitivity to painful facial features

In the last 2 years, governments of many countries imposed heavy social restrictions to contain the spread of the COVID-19 virus, with consequent increase of bad mood, distress, or depression for the people involved. Few studies investigated the impact of these restrictive measures on individual social proficiency, and specifically the processing of emotional facial information, leading to mixed results. The present research aimed at investigating systematically whether, and to which extent, social isolation influences the processing of facial expressions. To this end, we manipulated the social exclusion experimentally through the well-known Cyberball game (within-subject factor), and we exploited the occurrence of the lockdown for the Swiss COVID-19 first wave by recruiting participants before and after being restricted at home (grouping factor). We then tested whether either form of social segregation influenced the processing of pain, disgust, or neutral expressions, across multiple tasks probing access to different components of affective facial responses (state-specific, shared across states). We found that the lockdown (but not game-induced exclusion) affected negatively the processing of pain-specific information, without influencing other components of the affective facial response related to disgust or broad unpleasantness. In addition, participants recruited after the confinement reported lower scores in empathy questionnaires. These results suggest that social isolation affected negatively individual sensitivity to other people's affect and, with specific reference to the processing of facial expressions, the processing of pain-diagnostic information.

Emotional responding to overt and subtle social exclusion among young women who engage in non-suicidal self-injury

People who engage in non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) consistently report greater emotion reactivity and dysregulation than their peers. However, evidence that these self-reports reflect an amplified emotional response under controlled conditions is limited. Here we test the effects of both subtle and overt social exclusion, to determine whether self-reported emotion dysregulation reflects responses to real-time emotional challenge for people who self-injure. We recruited 100 young women with past-year NSSI and 100 without NSSI to an online experiment. Participants took part in a baseline social inclusion ball-tossing game, followed by either an overt or subtle social exclusion ball-tossing game, while we measured negative mood and belongingness. Despite reporting greater emotion reactivity (d = 1.40) and dysregulation (d = 1.63) than controls, women with past-year NSSI showed no differences in negative mood or belongingness ratings in response to either overt or subtle social exclusion. Within the NSSI group, exploratory analyses found greater endorsement of intrapersonal functions predicted greater negative mood following social exclusion (β = 0.19). Given that amplified emotional responding is central to prominent theoretical models of NSSI, findings highlight the need to better understand the divergence in findings between self-reported emotion dysregulation and real-time emotional responding among people who self-injure.

Validation of the Perceived Phubbing Scale to the Argentine Context

In recent years, the increased use of mobile devices has changed social dynamics. One such change is the rise of phubbing, described as the behavior of ignoring someone in order to pay attention to one's cell phone. The purpose of this research was to validate the Perceived Phubbing Scale (PPS) and examine its relationship with other psychological variables. An Argentine sample was composed of 1608 participants aged between 18 and 65 (M = 45.59; SD 14.03), with 51.6% identifying as female. They were provided with a phubbing scale, along with scales to measure emotional disconnection, fear of missing out (FoMO) and social exclusion, and a sociodemographic questionnaire. The results indicated that the PPS showed an adequate fit to the data, based on a structure of one factor (X²₍₂₀₎ = 259.353, p < 0.001; CFI = 0.958; IFI = 0.958; RMSEA = 0.089) and the internal consistency (α = 0.93), resulting in a nine-item scale. Participants with high or medium levels of phubbing showed a tendency to suffer FoMO or feel socially excluded or socially isolated. We did not find differences in the levels of phubbing related to the participant's age, gender, or socioeconomic level. It is possible to conclude that PPS can be used as a reliable measure to evaluate perceived phubbing in Argentina. Implications of the variables studied are discussed as possible predictors of phubbing and are to be considered in its approach.

The myth of regaining control: Ostracism increases superstitious tendencies

Whether and how interpersonal experiences predispose people to show superstitious tendencies have been largely unexamined by past studies. By adopting a multimethod approach, three studies tested (a) whether ostracism increases superstitious tendencies through thwarted perceived control, (b) whether the dispositional need for closure moderates the effect of ostracism on superstitious tendencies and (c) whether restoring ostracized people's thwarted control weakens their superstitious tendencies. The results revealed that ostracized participants had higher superstitious tendencies than nonostracized participants did (Studies 1-3). Moreover, thwarted control mediated the effect of ostracism on superstitious tendencies (Study 2). In addition, the dispositional need for closure moderated the effect of ostracism on superstitious tendencies, such that the effect was stronger among participants with a high need for closure (Studies 1-2). Finally, restoring ostracized participants' perceived control weakened the effect of ostracism on superstitious tendencies (Study 3). Altogether, these findings feature the essential role of thwarted perceived control in understanding the link between ostracism and superstitious tendencies and the implication of control restoration in weakening the link. They also highlight the importance of dispositional characteristics in moderating people's responses to superstitions following ostracism and related forms of interpersonal maltreatment.

Distinguishing the Need to Belong and Sense of Belongingness: The Relation between Need to Belong and Personal Appraisals under Two Different Belongingness-Conditions

People are frequently caught in the hold between the need to belong and the fear of exclusion. However, these needs might be expressed differently under different belongingness conditions, where other powerful social processes are accentuated. Thus, the need to belong and social exclusion are concepts that are subjectively appraised based on one's social relations. The present study aims to examine the relationship between the need to belong and five personal appraisals under two different belongingness conditions: (1) social-emotion support and (2) social-value representation. A total of 201 participants from two different groups were presented with 69 different items measuring five personal appraisals (exclusion, shame, social-worthiness, emotional self-expression, and prosocial-relating behaviour). Condition 2, social-value representation with social worthiness being appraised, offered the strongest connection as a significant predictor amongst all appraisals in both conditions, despite both exclusion and shame being indicated as significant predictors, to begin with. Thus, highlighting the appraisal of social worthiness in support of one's need to socially represent oneself by not being compared to others while being valued as an alternative motive for realising a sense of belongingness. The empirical and theoretical limitations and implications are also discussed.

Brain Systems Underlying Fundamental Motivations of Human Social Conformity

From birth to adulthood, we often align our behaviors, attitudes, and opinions with a majority, a phenomenon known as social conformity. A seminal framework has proposed that conformity behaviors are mainly driven by three fundamental motives: a desire to gain more information to be accurate, to obtain social approval from others, and to maintain a favorable self-concept. Despite extensive interest in neuroimaging investigation of social conformity, the relationship between brain systems and these fundamental motivations has yet to be established. Here, we reviewed brain imaging findings of social conformity with a componential framework, aiming to reveal the neuropsychological substrates underlying different conformity motivations. First, information-seeking engages the evaluation of social information, information integration, and modification of task-related activity, corresponding to brain networks implicated in reward, cognitive control, and tasks at hand. Second, social acceptance involves the anticipation of social acceptance or rejection and mental state attribution, mediated by networks of reward, punishment, and mentalizing. Third, self-enhancement entails the excessive representation of positive self-related information and suppression of negative self-related information, ingroup favoritism and/or outgroup derogation, and elaborated mentalizing processes to the ingroup, supported by brain systems of reward, punishment, and mentalizing. Therefore, recent brain imaging studies have provided important insights into the fundamental motivations of social conformity in terms of component processes and brain mechanisms.

Receiving feedback after posting status updates on social networking sites predicts lower loneliness: A mediated moderation model

People are increasingly relying on social networking sites (SNSs) to satisfy their needs for relatedness. However, the psychological benefits of receiving others' feedback on SNSs remain relatively understudied. To fill this research gap, the present research examined whether and how others' feedback to one's status updates on WeChat Moments (i.e. the most popular SNS in China) affects loneliness. A correlational study (N = 261) and an experimental study (N = 412) conducted among Chinese university students indicated that receiving more (vs. less) feedback in the forms of "likes" and "comments" predicted lower loneliness, and this effect was explained by a higher sense of social connectedness. However, receiving feedback only elicited higher social connectedness and thus lower loneliness among participants with high public self-consciousness, but this effect was not significant among those with low public self-consciousness. These findings extend the research on SNS use and loneliness by providing new insights into the underlying psychological mechanisms and have important practical implications for SNS developers and users in terms of how to design and use SNSs to better satisfy different users' psychological needs.

Cyber-ostracism mediates the relationship between perceived stress and emotional well-being among college students

This study aims to investigate the mediation role of cyber-ostracism to explain the relationship between perceived stress and emotional well-being among college students. We adopted a computer-based experiment, "Ostracism Online," randomly assigned participants to cyber-ostracized (n = 66) and cyber-included (n = 79) groups. The program simulated social media platforms, and participants created self-accounts and gave out Likes. Participants in cyber-ostracized group were manipulated to receive one Like, whereas those in cyber-included group received nine Likes. Before the experiment, perceived stress was measured, and cyber-ostracism and emotional well-being were measured after the ostracism manipulation. The findings revealed that cyber-ostracism fully mediates the relationship between perceived stress and emotional well-being. The results can be used to develop an online intervention for cyber-inclusion enhancement to reduce the negative emotions of stressed college students.

Influence of Social Exclusion on Cool and Hot Inhibitory Control in Chinese College Students

Social exclusion can affect nearly every aspect of a person's mental health, both on an emotional and cognitive level. The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether cool or hot inhibitory control capacity varied under social exclusion. More precisely, participants who had experienced and not experienced social exclusion were compared to explore the influence of social exclusion on cool and hot inhibitory controls. Social exclusion was induced through the use of a Cyberball game, and participants were divided into an exclusion group and an inclusion group. The number Stroop task and emotional face Stroop task were used to measure the cool and hot inhibitory control, respectively. In the cool Stroop task, participants had to refrain from reading printed digits to identify the number of items presented in the array. In the hot Stroop task, participants had to inhibit the meaning of the word to identify the emotion displayed on the face. Reaction time, accuracy, and Stroop interference were analyzed to compare the inhibitory control between the exclusion group and the inclusion group. The results showed an extension of the response time in the exclusion group compared to the inclusion group. We found a higher interference effect in the number of Stroop tasks in the exclusion group than that in the inclusion group, but it was not significant in the emotional face Stroop task. The results suggest that the cognitive and emotional basis of inhibitory control may differ during social exclusion. The present findings expand our understanding of how social exclusion affects cool and hot inhibitory controls and their internal psychological mechanism.

It will (never) stop hurting: Do repeated or chronic experiences of exclusion lead to hyper- or hyposensitive psychological responses?

Unlike one-time lab manipulations of exclusion, in real life, many people experience exclusion, from others and from groups, over extended periods, raising the question of whether individuals could, over time, develop hypo- or hypersensitive responses to chronic exclusion. In Study 1, we subjected participants to repeated experiences of inclusion or exclusion (three Cyberball games, time lag of three days, N = 194; 659 observations). We find that repeatedly excluded individuals become hypersensitive to inclusion, but not to exclusion. Study 2 ( N = 183) tested whether individuals with chronic experiences of real-world exclusion show hypo- or hypersensitive responses to a novel episode of exclusion. In line with Study 1, exclusion hurt to the same extent regardless of baseline levels of chronic exclusion in daily life. However, chronically excluded individuals show more psychological distress in general. We discuss theoretical and practical implications for dealing with chronically excluded individuals and groups.

Effects of neuromodulation on cognitive and emotional responses to psychosocial stressors in healthy humans

Physiological and psychological stressors can exert wide-ranging effects on the human brain and behavior. Research has improved understanding of how the sympatho-adreno-medullary (SAM) and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axes respond to stressors and the differential responses that occur depending on stressor type. Although the physiological function of SAM and HPA responses is to promote survival and safety, exaggerated psychobiological reactivity can occur in psychiatric disorders. Exaggerated reactivity may occur more for certain types of stressors, specifically, psychosocial stressors. Understanding stressor effects and how the body regulates these responses can provide insight into ways that psychobiological reactivity can be modulated. Non-invasive neuromodulation is one way that responding to stressors may be altered; research into these interventions may provide further insights into the brain circuits that modulate stress reactivity. This review focuses on the effects of acute psychosocial stressors and how neuromodulation might be effective in altering stress reactivity. Although considerable research into stress interventions focuses on treating pathology, it is imperative to first understand these mechanisms in non-clinical populations; therefore, this review will emphasize populations with no known pathology and consider how these results may translate to those with psychiatric pathologies.

Affective and cognitive impact of social overinclusion: a meta-analytic review of cyberball studies

Belongingness is a central biopsychosocial system. Challenges to belongingness (i.e. exclusion/ostracism) engender robust negative effects on affect and cognitions. Whether overinclusion - getting more than one's fair share of social attention - favourably impacts affect and cognitions remains an open question. This pre-registered meta-analysis includes twenty-two studies (N = 2757) examining overinclusion in the context of the Cyberball task. We found that the estimated overall effect size of overinclusion on positive affect was small but robust, and the effect on fundamental needs cognitions (belongingness, self-esteem, meaningful existence and control) was moderate in size and positive in direction. Notably, the effect sizes of overinclusion were smaller than the corresponding effects of exclusion. Finally, the effects of overinclusion on positive affect were greater for high, as compared to low, socially anxious individuals. Exploring the sequelae of the full range of inclusion experiences - from exclusion to overinclusion - may enrich our understanding of the functioning of the belongingness system as well as its interaction with another central biosocial system - the social status system.

Pain Severity and Smoking Abstinence Expectancies among Latinx Individuals Who Smoke Cigarettes: The Moderating Role of Perceived Discrimination

Latinx individuals experience significant health disparities related to smoking cessation in the United States (US). Although past works have consistently implicated pain in the maintenance of smoking behavior, limited research has examined the role of social determinants (e.g., perceived discrimination) in pain-smoking relations. The current study sought to examine the moderating role of perceived discrimination in the relation between pain severity and smoking abstinence expectancies (i.e., a cognitive factor related to poor smoking outcomes) among 226 Latinx individuals who currently smoke cigarettes (Mage = 34.95 years; SD = 8.62; 38.5% female). The results indicated a statistically significant interaction between pain severity and perceived discrimination with regard to smoking abstinence expectancies (i.e., negative mood, somatic symptoms, harmful consequences, and positive consequences). Post-hoc analyses revealed the association of pain severity and negative mood, harmful consequences, and positive consequences smoking abstinence expectancies evident for individuals with higher perceived discrimination. Moreover, the association between pain severity and somatic symptoms smoking abstinence expectancies was stronger for individuals with higher perceived discrimination. Overall, these results suggest that clinical and community-based public health strategies may benefit from addressing the role of perceived discrimination among Latinx individuals who smoke cigarettes in the context of pain.

Impact of social exclusion on empathy in women with borderline personality disorder

Unstable interpersonal relationships and fear of abandonment are core symptoms of borderline personality disorder (BPD) that often intensify during stress. Psychosocial stress, which includes components of social exclusion and increases cortisol secretion, enhances emotional empathy in healthy individuals. Women with BPD, on the contrary, react with reduced emotional empathy. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of perceived social exclusion without accompanying cortisol increase on empathy in women with BPD and healthy women. To induce social exclusion, we randomized 98 women with BPD and 98 healthy women to either an exclusion or an overinclusion (control) condition of Cyberball, a virtual ball game. Subsequently, participants underwent the Multifaceted Empathy Test (MET), which assesses cognitive and emotional empathy. There was no increase in cortisol release after Cyberball. Cognitive empathy did not differ between groups or conditions. Women with BPD reported lower emotional empathy for positive emotions (group by valence interaction), but not for negative emotions. Exploratory analyses suggested that this effect might be more pronounced after social exclusion. Our results confirm previous findings that cognitive empathy does not differ between women with BPD and healthy women and extend this evidence to social exclusion. Emotional empathy in women with BPD seems to be more sensitive to the effects of stress or ambiguous social situations. Specifically, emotional empathy seems to be reduced for positive emotions, and might further decline after social exclusion. Empathic reactions to emotional stimuli of different valences and to specific emotions should be further investigated.

When ostracism is mandated: COVID-19, social distancing, and psychological needs

Social distancing to limit the spread of COVID-19 poses a unique psychological challenge, especially in light of evidence for the importance of even minimal cues of inclusion. In a German (N = 546) and a US (N = 199) sample, we examined the impact of work-related social distancing on the outcomes of ostracism, measuring need fulfillment in self-esteem, belonging, control, and meaning. Overall, social distancing was associated with decreased need fulfillment. German participants reported a higher need fulfillment compared to American participants. Compared to previous studies, social distancing impacted self-related need fulfillment less than experimental manipulations of ostracism, however more so than the baseline condition of inclusion. Working, while social distancing was associated with greater need fulfillment, as was identifying as male. Women reported lower need fulfillment overall and this difference was mediated by the need to belong. Results are discussed in terms of understanding self-related needs in different contexts of isolation.

Intersectional discrimination from black women, white women, black men, or white men impacts young adult black women's affective states and risky health cognitions

OBJECTIVE

Black women experience pronounced inequalities in alcohol use and sexual risk outcomes. Racial discrimination is a known contributor to health inequalities. However, Black women face unique and intersectional forms of discrimination beyond racial discrimination. The current study investigates how exclusion from four distinct social groups effects Black women's negative affect and risky health cognitions.

DESIGN

Black women (N = 124; ages 18-29) were randomly assigned to be excluded in Cyberball by Black women, Black men, White women, or White men.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Participants responded to measures of internalising (depressive, anxious) and externalising (anger) affect, heavy alcohol use willingness, and risky sex expectations.

RESULTS

Participants primarily attributed exclusion from White women to racial discrimination, exclusion from Black men to gender discrimination, and exclusion from White men to both gender and racial discrimination. When excluded by White women, participants reported the highest levels of anger, depressive affect, and anxiety. Exclusion by White men predicted the greatest heavy drinking willingness, though exclusion by Black men predicted the greatest risky sex expectations.

CONCLUSION

This study is the first to demonstrate that exclusion from different social groups leads to differing patterns of negative affect and risky health cognitions in young adult Black women.

How and When Perpetrators Reflect on and Respond to Their Workplace Ostracism Behavior: A Moral Cleansing Lens

Purpose

This study investigates the association between the previous workplace ostracism of employees and their subsequent helping behavior by drawing on moral cleansing theory in the Chinese context, exploring the mediating roles of employees' guilt and perceived loss of moral credit and the moderating role of their moral identity symbolization.

Sample and Method

The data were collected from a two-stage time-lagged survey of 284 Chinese employees. Regression analysis and the bootstrapping method are used in this article to examine the theoretical hypotheses.

Results

The results indicate that employees' previous ostracism behaviors positively affected their guilt experience and perceived loss of moral credit. Subsequently, the relationship between employees' workplace ostracism and their helping behavior is mediated by guilt experience and perceived loss of moral credit. Furthermore, moral identity symbolization positively moderated the indirect "workplace ostracism-helping behavior" linkage via guilt and perceived loss of moral credits; in other words, for employees who have a higher degree of moral identity symbolization, the mediating effect is more significant, and vice versa.

Conclusion

This study does not merely clarify the theoretical relationship between perpetrators' workplace ostracism and their helping behavior, which enriches the explanatory logic of related research on workplace ostracism and the cause of helping behavior, but also expand the application scope of moral cleansing theory. Further, we aim practically to bring enlightenment to human resource management reform, corporate culture construction, and positive behavior management.

Association between the behavioral response during social exclusion and recalled childhood maltreatment

Social exclusion is a critical event for mental health. Patients with interpersonal dysfunction, e.g., with borderline personality disorder (BPD) or persistent depressive disorder (PDD), are particularly vulnerable, often based on their experiences of early adversity in life. The etiological pathways from childhood maltreatment (CM) to current behavior during social exclusion are still underexplored. This cross-diagnostic study investigated the relationship between self-reported CM and behavioral reaction to social exclusion in an experimental paradigm (Cyberball). Data from 140 subjects including patients with BPD and PDD as well as healthy controls were analyzed. The effect of CM (Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, CTQ) on behavior to social exclusion during Cyberball (ball tossing behavior) was analyzed including rejection sensitivity (RS) as a mediator. In the whole sample, the CTQ score (B = -.004, p < .05) as well as the emotional neglect subscore (B = -.016, p < .01) were associated with a reduced ball tossing behavior towards the excluder. There were no significant indirect effects involving RS. These current findings support the relationship between CM and an altered interpersonal response in critical interpersonal situations. Larger cohorts with multidimensional data in social domains are warranted to further investigate the link between CM and current interpersonal dysfunction.

On the relationship between the social brain, social connectedness, and wellbeing

The emergence of social neuroscience in the past two decades has offered a useful neurocognitive framework for understanding human social behavior. Of importance, social neuroscience research aimed to provide mechanistic explanations for the established link between wellbeing and social behavioral phenomena-particularly those reflective of social connectedness. Here, we provide an overview of the relevant literature focusing on recent work using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). In general, fMRI research demonstrated that aspects of social connectedness that are known to either positively (e.g., social acceptance) or negatively (e.g., social isolation) impact wellbeing also modulated the activity of subcortical reward system accordingly. Similar modulatory influence was found for the activity of other brain regions such as the medial prefrontal cortex, which are typically regarded as components of the "social brain" that support a wide range of functions related to social cognition and behavior. Elucidating such individual differences in brain activity may shed light onto the neural underpinnings of the link between social connectedness and wellbeing.

Negative experiences, social exclusion and unwanted attention on social media: exploring the association with adolescent alcohol use

BACKGROUND

Adolescents' presence on Social Media (SoMe) facilitates peer connections making them susceptible to peer-influences and approval. Negative experiences on SoMe can affect adolescent stress and wellbeing, impelling their use of alcohol. This paper provides a novel understanding of the relationship between negative experiences on SoMe and key indicators of alcohol use in adolescents.

METHODS

Data was collected from upper secondary school students (n = 3528, ages 16-19, 45% boys) in Bergen (Norway) using a web-based questionnaire during school-hours in 2020 and 2021. Dependent variables were alcohol consumption, binge drinking and scoring ≥ 2 points on the CRAFFT instrument screening for substance use problems in adolescents. Independent variables were two scales indicating "negative acts and exclusion" and "unwanted attention from others". Covariates included age, gender, country of birth and subjective socioeconomic status. Results are presented as relative risk ratios (RRR), odds ratios (OR) and incidence rate ratios (IRR) with 95% confidence intervals.

RESULTS

Using multinomial logistic regression models, "negative acts and exclusion" and "unwanted attention" were positively associated with trying alcohol (OR: 1.50 (95% CI 1.28-1.76) and 1.86 (95% CI 1.66-2.09) respectively, both p ≤ 0.001), with frequency and amount of alcohol consumed. Findings from logistic regression models indicated that "negative acts and exclusion" and "unwanted attention" were positively associated with i. CRAFFT-caseness (OR: 2.13 and 1.86) and ii. frequent binge drinking (OR: 1.55 and 1.89).

CONCLUSION

Both exclusion and unwanted attention on SoMe were associated with indicators of problematic drinking, including frequency, quantity, and consequences related to alcohol.

Neural Signatures of Error Processing in Depressed Adolescents with Comorbid Non-Suicidal Self-Injury (NSSI)

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), as a highly prevalent psychiatric symptom in adolescents and young adults, is defined as the deliberate destruction of body tissue without suicidal intent. Impulsivity and dysfunctional response inhibition have been suggested to play a central role in adolescents' vulnerability to self-harm. To investigate the potentially distinct neurobiology of NSSI, we used a well-established Go/No Go task in which activation of the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) is interpreted as a neural correlate of processing failed response inhibition. Task-based functional magnetic resonance imaging data were obtained from 14 adolescents with a diagnosis of major depression and a history of NSSI (MD-NSSI), 13 depressed adolescents without NSSI (MD-only), and 14 healthy controls (HC). In line with hypotheses of dysfunctional response inhibition, we observed increased rates of commission errors in MD-NSSI along with significantly reduced error-related activations of the dACC and IFG. Intact response inhibition, as reflected by low commission error rates not different from HC, was observed in MD-only, along with increased activation of the error-processing network. Our findings support the hypothesis of a distinct neurobiological signature of NSSI. Further research on biomarkers of NSSI could focus on behavioral and neural correlates of failed response inhibition.

The tethered humanity hypothesis among victims of interpersonal harm: The role of apologies, forgiveness, and the relation between self-, other-, and meta-perceptions of humanity

When interpersonal harm is inflicted, victims stop seeing themselves as fully human. The tethered humanity hypothesis proposes that victims restore a full human status when perpetrators undertake attempts at reconciliation and victims manage to reestablish the humanness of their perpetrators. In two studies, we tested this hypothesis and manipulated the perpetrators attempts at apologizing for their misconduct. Participants were either included or socially excluded and received a full or self-exonerating apology or a hostile message when they were excluded. Results indicated that victims dehumanized themselves and their ostracizers when they were socially excluded and managed to regain a full human status and rehumanized their perpetrators when a full apology was uttered. Moreover, regression analyses indicated that different humanness judgments (self, other, and meta-humanness) become tethered only when perpetrators apologized, while forgiving the perpetrator always correlated with the rehumanization of the self regardless of the perpetrator’s apology.