1
|
Nguyen TVT, Konu D, Forbes S. Investigating solitude as a tool for downregulation of daily arousal using ecological momentary assessments. J Pers 2024. [PMID: 38757772 DOI: 10.1111/jopy.12939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This research explored arousal levels as a motivating factor for solitude-seeking. We hypothesized that solitude becomes more desirable when high-arousal emotions were heightened and individual differences in extraversion and neuroticism would moderate this pattern. METHOD We tracked individuals' hourly experiences throughout a day. We assessed their high-arousal positive (e.g., excitement) and negative emotions (e.g., tension), whether they were alone or with others, and their preferred situation at the time of the signal. We gathered 4338 surveys from 362 participants, with 103 participants completing all hourly surveys. RESULTS Preference for and incidence of solitude changed throughout the day. Contrary to our hypotheses, lagged analyses did not indicate high-arousal emotions predicting reports of being alone an hour later. However, individuals were more likely to express a preference for solitude while experiencing high-arousal negative emotions, and less so while experiencing positive emotions. Younger individuals display stronger preference for solitude during experiences of high-arousal negative emotions. Extraversion and neuroticism did not moderate these patterns. CONCLUSIONS The results highlight the distinctive appeal of solitude as a space for young adults to deal with negative emotions. We discussed how these findings are connected to existing literature and implications for future research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Delali Konu
- Department of Psychology, Durham University, Durham, UK
| | - Samuel Forbes
- Department of Psychology, Durham University, Durham, UK
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Ghandchi A, Golbabaei S, Borhani K. Effects of two different social exclusion paradigms on ambiguous facial emotion recognition. Cogn Emot 2024; 38:296-314. [PMID: 38678446 DOI: 10.1080/02699931.2023.2285862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/30/2024]
Abstract
Social exclusion is an emotionally painful experience that leads to various alterations in socio-emotional processing. The perceptual and emotional consequences that may arise from experiencing social exclusion can vary depending on the paradigm used to manipulate it. Exclusion paradigms can vary in terms of the severity and duration of the leading exclusion experience, thereby classifying it as either a short-term or long-term experience. The present study aimed to study the impact of exclusion on socio-emotional processing using different paradigms that caused experiencing short-term and imagining long-term exclusion. Ambiguous facial emotions were used as socio-emotional cues. In study 1, the Ostracism Online paradigm was used to manipulate short-term exclusion. In study 2, a new sample of participants imagined long-term exclusion through the future life alone paradigm. Participants of both studies then completed a facial emotion recognition task consisting of morphed ambiguous facial emotions. By means of Point of Subjective Equivalence analyses, our results indicate that the experience of short-term exclusion hinders recognising happy facial expressions. In contrast, imagining long-term exclusion causes difficulties in recognising sad facial expressions. These findings extend the current literature, suggesting that not all social exclusion paradigms affect socio-emotional processing similarly.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Arezoo Ghandchi
- Institute for Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Soroosh Golbabaei
- Institute for Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Khatereh Borhani
- Institute for Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Pang C, Wang TY, Lin J. Being close or being alone: How Social ostracism affects solitude preference. BRITISH JOURNAL OF SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY 2024. [PMID: 38687197 DOI: 10.1111/bjso.12753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
Social ostracism refers to the phenomenon of being excluded from social interactions and not being accepted by society. While previous research has examined its impact on prosocial and antisocial behaviour, few studies have investigated how individuals respond to ostracism by seeking solitude. Therefore, our study aims to explore the association between social ostracism and solitude seeking as well as the potential psychological mechanisms involved. We conducted three studies involving 488 Chinese students (59% female) and found that (a) long-term ostracism experiences positively correlated with preference for solitude, (b) short-term ostracism did not immediately lead to solitude seeking but increased the desire to establish new connections with others and (c) hostile assessment and negative emotions played a chain mediation role in the relationship between social ostracism and solitude seeking. These findings provide new insights and empirical evidence for understanding the relationship between social ostracism and solitude-seeking.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Pang
- Guangzhou Huashang College, Guangzhou, China
- Institute of Analytical Psychology, City University of Macau, Taipa, Macau, SAR
| | - Tulips Yiwen Wang
- Institute of Analytical Psychology, City University of Macau, Taipa, Macau, SAR
| | - Jiali Lin
- Guangzhou Huashang College, Guangzhou, China
- Institute of Analytical Psychology, City University of Macau, Taipa, Macau, SAR
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Ren D, Loh WW, Chung JM, Brandt MJ. Person-specific priorities in solitude. J Pers 2024. [PMID: 38279643 DOI: 10.1111/jopy.12916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 12/03/2023] [Accepted: 01/01/2024] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE People value solitude in varying degrees. Theories and studies suggest that people's appreciation of solitude varies considerably across persons (e.g., an introverted person may value solitude more than an extraverted person), and solitude experiences (i.e., on average, people may value some functions of solitude, e.g., privacy, more than other functions, e.g., self-discovery). What are the unique contributions of these two sources? METHOD We surveyed a quota-based sample of 501 US residents about their perceived importance of a diverse set of 22 solitude functions. RESULTS Variance component analysis reveals that both sources contributed to the variability of perceived importance of solitude (person: 22%; solitude function: 15%). Crucially, individual idiosyncratic preferences (person-by-solitude function interaction) had a substantial impact (46%). Further analyses explored the role of personality traits, showing that different functions of solitude hold varying importance for different people. For example, neurotic individuals prioritize emotion regulation, introverted individuals value relaxation, and conscientious individuals find solitude important for productivity. CONCLUSIONS People value solitude for idiosyncratic reasons. Scientific inquiries on solitude must consider the fit between a person's characteristics and the specific functions a solitary experience affords. This research suggests that crafting or enhancing positive solitude experiences requires a personalized approach.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dongning Ren
- Department of Work and Social Psychology, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
- Department of Social Psychology, Tilburg University, Tilburg, The Netherlands
| | - Wen Wei Loh
- Department of Quantitative Theory and Methods, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Joanne M Chung
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Mississauga, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mark J Brandt
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Murray SL, Pascuzzi GS. Pursuing Safety in Social Connection: A Flexibly Fluid Perspective on Risk Regulation in Relationships. Annu Rev Psychol 2024; 75:379-404. [PMID: 37585668 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-psych-011123-024815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
People are fundamentally motivated to be included in social connections that feel safe, connections where they are consistently cared for and protected, not hurt or exploited. Romantic relationships have long played a crucial role in satisfying this fundamental need. This article reconceptualizes the risk-regulation model to argue that people draw on experiences from inside and outside their romantic relationships to satisfy their fundamental need to feel safe depending on others. We first review the direct relational cues (i.e., a partner's affectionate touch, responsive versus unresponsive behavior, and relative power) and indirect cues (i.e., bodily sensations, collective value in the eyes of others, and living conditions) that signal the current safety of social connection and motivate people to connect to others or protect themselves against them. We then review how people's chronic capacity to trust in others controls their sensitivity and reactivity to the safety cues. The article concludes with future research directions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sandra L Murray
- Department of Psychology, The State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA; ,
| | - Gabriela S Pascuzzi
- Department of Psychology, The State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA; ,
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Delgado MR, Fareri DS, Chang LJ. Characterizing the mechanisms of social connection. Neuron 2023; 111:3911-3925. [PMID: 37804834 PMCID: PMC10842352 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.09.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2023] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/09/2023]
Abstract
Understanding how individuals form and maintain strong social networks has emerged as a significant public health priority as a result of the increased focus on the epidemic of loneliness and the myriad protective benefits conferred by social connection. In this review, we highlight the psychological and neural mechanisms that enable us to connect with others, which in turn help buffer against the consequences of stress and isolation. Central to this process is the experience of rewards derived from positive social interactions, which encourage the sharing of perspectives and preferences that unite individuals. Sharing affective states with others helps us to align our understanding of the world with another's, thereby continuing to reinforce bonds and strengthen relationships. These psychological processes depend on neural systems supporting reward and social cognitive function. Lastly, we also consider limitations associated with pursuing healthy social connections and outline potential avenues of future research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mauricio R Delgado
- Department of Psychology, Rutgers University-Newark, Newark, NJ 07102, USA.
| | - Dominic S Fareri
- Gordon F. Derner School of Psychology, Adelphi University, Garden City, NY 11530, USA
| | - Luke J Chang
- Consortium for Interacting Minds, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755, USA
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Zeigler-Hill V, Vonk J, Fatfouta R. Does narcissus prefer to be alone? Narcissistic personality features and the preference for solitude. J Pers 2023. [PMID: 38014712 DOI: 10.1111/jopy.12901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2023] [Revised: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To examine the associations that narcissistic personality traits had with the preference for solitude. BACKGROUND Preference for solitude may be impacted by various characteristics. Narcissism may be one such characteristic given its association with specific motivations for engagement with other individuals (e.g., status attainment). METHOD We examined whether the associations that narcissism had with the preference for solitude were moderated by perceived attainment of status or instability of status. RESULTS Across three studies (N = 627/479/675), extraverted narcissism had the expected aversion to solitude. Antagonistic narcissism and neurotic narcissism did not have consistent associations with the preference for solitude across these studies, nor did the perceived attainment of status consistently moderate the links between narcissistic personality features and the preference for solitude. However, perceived instability of status moderated the associations that extraverted narcissism and antagonistic narcissism had with the preference for solitude. More specifically, the more stable status was perceived to be, the greater the aversion to solitude for those high in extraverted narcissism and the greater the preference for solitude for those high in antagonistic narcissism. CONCLUSIONS This pattern of results suggests that the motivations underlying preferences for solitude differ depending on particular narcissistic traits that predict whether one is more concerned with maintaining, gaining, or losing status. These results build upon what is known about the connections that narcissism has with the preference for solitude.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Jennifer Vonk
- Department of Psychology, Oakland University, Rochester, Michigan, USA
| | - Ramzi Fatfouta
- Department of Psychology, University of Applied Sciences for Media, Communication and Management, Potsdam, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Tan K, Jarnecke AM, South SC. Social anhedonia, communication, and marital satisfaction in newlywed couples. J Pers 2023; 91:1239-1252. [PMID: 36477834 DOI: 10.1111/jopy.12798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2022] [Revised: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Social anhedonia is associated with disinterest in social interactions and poor relationship functioning, yet little is known about the specific mechanisms underlying associations between social anhedonia and romantic relationship behaviors and satisfaction. We examined the links between social anhedonia, perceptions of conflict communication patterns, and marital satisfaction. METHOD The current research examined the role of social anhedonia on marital quality and functioning longitudinally across a year in a sample of 100 newlywed couples using an actor-partner interdependence framework. RESULTS Social anhedonia was negatively associated with own and partner's marital satisfaction. It was also negatively associated with constructive communication and positively associated with destructive communication. Furthermore, cross-sectional mediation analyses showed that communication patterns mediated the social anhedonia-satisfaction link. CONCLUSIONS Taken together, these findings suggest that social anhedonia is likely to lead to lower marital satisfaction, partly through its effect on communication between partners.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth Tan
- School of Social Sciences, Singapore Management University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Amber M Jarnecke
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
| | - Susan C South
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Marinucci M, Riva P, Lenzi M, Lasagna C, Waldeck D, Tyndall I, Volpato C. On the lowest rung of the ladder: How social exclusion, perceived economic inequality and stigma increase homeless people's resignation. BRITISH JOURNAL OF SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY 2023; 62:1817-1838. [PMID: 37248683 DOI: 10.1111/bjso.12657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Despite the relevance of social exclusion and economic inequality for homelessness, empirical studies investigating how these issues relate to homeless people's psychological well-being are scarce. We aimed to fill this gap by conducting two quasi-experimental studies on homeless and non-homeless groups. The first study (N = 200) showed that homeless (vs. non-homeless) people presented higher levels of resignation, characterized by depression, alienation, helplessness, and unworthiness (Williams, 2009). The second study (N = 183) replicated the findings from Study 1 and showed that perceived economic inequality could increase homeless people's resignation by emphasizing perceptions of social exclusion. Additional analyses found that identification with the stigmatized homeless group could mediate the relationship between perceived inequality and social exclusion, increasing the resignation. Overall, the results showed that chronic social exclusion of homeless people is associated with higher levels of resignation. Moreover, they showed the role of perceived economic inequality and homeless group stigmatized identification as group-specific mechanisms favouring social exclusion and ultimately worsening psychological well-being.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Paolo Riva
- University of Milano-Bicocca, Milano, Italy
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
10
|
Loh WW, Ren D. Adjusting for Baseline Measurements of the Mediators and Outcome as a First Step Toward Eliminating Confounding Biases in Mediation Analysis. PERSPECTIVES ON PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE 2023; 18:1254-1266. [PMID: 36749872 DOI: 10.1177/17456916221134573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
Mediation analysis prevails for researchers probing the etiological mechanisms through which treatment affects an outcome. A central challenge of mediation analysis is justifying sufficient baseline covariates that meet the causal assumption of no unmeasured confounding. But current practices routinely overlook this assumption. In this article, we suggest a relatively easy way to mitigate the risks of incorrect inferences resulting from unmeasured confounding: include pretreatment measurements of the mediator(s) and the outcome as baseline covariates. We explain why adjusting for pretreatment baseline measurements is a necessary first step toward eliminating confounding biases. We hope that such a practice can encourage explication, justification, and reflection of the causal assumptions underpinning mediation analysis toward improving the validity of causal inferences in psychology research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wen Wei Loh
- Department of Data Analysis, Ghent University
- Department of Quantitative Theory and Methods, Emory University
| | - Dongning Ren
- Department of Social Psychology, Tilburg University
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Huang C, Butterworth JW, Finley AJ, Angus DJ, Sedikides C, Kelley NJ. There is a party in my head and no one is invited: Resting-state electrocortical activity and solitude. J Pers 2023. [PMID: 37577862 DOI: 10.1111/jopy.12876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE What are the motivational underpinnings of solitude? We know from self-report studies that increases in solitude are associated with drops in approach motivation and rises in avoidance motivation, but only when solitude is experienced as non-self-determined (i.e., non-autonomous). However, the extent to which individual differences in solitude relate to neurophysiological markers of approach-avoidance motivation derived from resting-state electroencephalogram (EEG) is unknown. These markers are Frontal Alpha Asymmetry, beta suppression, and midline Posterior versus Frontal EEG Theta Activity. METHOD We assessed the relation among individual differences in the reasons for solitude (i.e., preference for solitude, motivation for solitude), approach-avoidance motivation, and resting-state EEG markers of approach-avoidance motivation (N = 115). RESULTS General preference for solitude was negatively related to approach motivation, observed in both self-reported measures and EEG markers of approach motivation. Self-determined solitude was positively related to both self-reported approach motivation and avoidance motivation in the social domain (i.e., friendship). Non-self-determined solitude was negatively associated with self-reported avoidance motivation. CONCLUSION This research was a preliminary attempt to address the neurophysiological underpinnings of solitude in the context of motivation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chengli Huang
- Centre for Research on Self and Identity, School of Psychology, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - James W Butterworth
- Centre for Research on Self and Identity, School of Psychology, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Anna J Finley
- Institute on Aging, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Douglas J Angus
- School of Psychology, Bond University, Robina, Queensland, Australia
| | - Constantine Sedikides
- Centre for Research on Self and Identity, School of Psychology, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Nicholas J Kelley
- Centre for Research on Self and Identity, School of Psychology, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Stavrova O, Ren D. Alone in a Crowd: Is Social Contact Associated with Less Psychological Pain of Loneliness in Everyday Life? JOURNAL OF HAPPINESS STUDIES 2023; 24:1841-1860. [PMID: 37293324 PMCID: PMC10157120 DOI: 10.1007/s10902-023-00661-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
People are often advised to engage in social contact to cope with the experience of loneliness and improve well-being. But are the moments of loneliness actually more bearable when spent in other people's company? In this research, we proposed and tested two conflicting theoretical accounts regarding the role of social contact: social contact is associated with a stronger (the amplifying account) or with a weaker (the buffering account) negative effect of loneliness on psychological well-being. Analyses of three datasets collected using ecological momentary assessments (Nindividuals = 3,035) revealed that the negative association between loneliness and well-being was stronger when participants were with others than alone, consistent with the amplifying account. Further, when participants experienced high levels of loneliness, being with others was associated with the same or with even a lower level of well-being than being alone. These findings suggest that simply spending time with others (vs. alone) is not associated with a reduced burden of loneliness and may even backfire. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10902-023-00661-3.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Olga Stavrova
- Tilburg University, Warandelaan 2, 5000 LE, Tilburg, Netherlands
| | - Dongning Ren
- Tilburg University, Warandelaan 2, 5000 LE, Tilburg, Netherlands
- Emory University, Atlanta, USA
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Close and distant relationships exclusion: A study of individual coping tendencies towards excluder and non-excluder. CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s12144-022-04203-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
|
14
|
McVarnock A, Cheng T, Polakova L, Coplan RJ. Are you alone? Measuring solitude in childhood, adolescence, and emerging adulthood. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1179677. [PMID: 37151973 PMCID: PMC10156970 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1179677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The goal of this review was to provide an overview of how solitude has been operationally defined and measured since the year 2000 in psychological studies of children, adolescents, and emerging adults. After applying exclusionary criteria, our review of the extant literature identified n = 19 empirical studies, which we grouped into three broad methodological categories: (1) experiments/manipulations (n = 5); (2) retrospective reports (n = 7); and (3) experience sampling measures (experience sampling methodology; n = 7). A review of these studies indicated considerable variation in how solitude is operationalized and measured. There is also a notable lack of studies measuring solitude in childhood. Implications for 'what matters' when assessing solitude are discussed, and we provide a series of suggestions for helping this research area move forward.
Collapse
|
15
|
Braathu N, Bølstad E, Bowker JC, Coplan RJ. Evaluating Links between Social Withdrawal Motivations and Indices of Psychosocial Adjustment among Norwegian Emerging Adults. J Genet Psychol 2022; 183:549-563. [PMID: 35771863 DOI: 10.1080/00221325.2022.2094210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Social withdrawal is the behavioral tendency to remove oneself from social situations - a tendency that often contributes to reductions in individuals' mental health. The current study evaluated the links between different motivations for social withdrawal (shyness, unsociability, social avoidance) and indices of psychosocial adjustment in a Norwegian sample of emerging adults. Participants were N = 194 Norwegian university students who completed self-report measures of life satisfaction, loneliness, and depressive symptoms, as well as withdrawal motivations. Among the results, a newly translated version of the Social Preference Scale-Revised (SPS-R) was validated for use in Norway. Findings showed that shyness was uniquely and positively associated with loneliness and depressive symptoms, as well as lower life satisfaction, whereas social avoidance was positively associated with depressive symptoms. Unsociability was uniquely linked to lower levels of loneliness and depressive symptoms. Findings provide novel information about the psychosocial correlates of social withdrawal motivations during emerging adulthood in the under-explored cultural context of Norway. Understanding nuances in the correlates of different motivations may aid in the development of culturally and developmentally sensitive interventions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nora Braathu
- Norwegian Centre for Violence and Traumatic Stress Studies, Oslo, Norway
| | | | - Julie C Bowker
- Department of Psychology, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Robert J Coplan
- Department of Psychology, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Ostracism and Social Exclusion: Implications for Separation, Social Isolation, and Loss. Curr Opin Psychol 2022; 47:101353. [DOI: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2022.101353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2021] [Revised: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
|
17
|
Wenting F, Lijia W, Cuixin G. The Influence of Social Exclusion Types on Individuals' Willingness to Word-of-Mouth Recommendation. Front Psychol 2022; 13:862003. [PMID: 35496144 PMCID: PMC9051444 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.862003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
As the pace of modern life accelerates, social exclusion occurs more and more frequently in interpersonal interactions. The type of social exclusion can lead to different psychological needs of individuals, and, thus, affects the tendency of word-of-mouth (WOM) recommendation. There are three experiments in this research. Experiment 1 explores the influence of social exclusion types on the willingness of WOM recommendation. The result shows that being rejected increases individuals' willingness to WOM recommendations while being ignored decreases individuals' willingness. Experiment 2 explores the internal psychological mechanism of the influence of social exclusion types on WOM recommendation behavior and proves the mediating role of psychological needs (affiliative-focused needs; power/provocation need). In experiment 3, the moderating effect of product attributes (scarcity/popularity) on the main effect is analyzed. This research is the first to explore the influence of social exclusion types on individuals' willingness to WOM recommendations, which enriches the research on social exclusion in the field of WOM recommendations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Feng Wenting
- Gemmological Institute, Research Center for Psychological and Health Science, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan, China
| | - Wang Lijia
- Research Center for Psychological and Health Sciences, Institute of Education, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan, China
| | - Gao Cuixin
- Research Center for Psychological and Health Sciences, Institute of Advanced Studies, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan, China
- *Correspondence: Gao Cuixin
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Epley N, Kardas M, Zhao X, Atir S, Schroeder J. Undersociality: miscalibrated social cognition can inhibit social connection. Trends Cogn Sci 2022; 26:406-418. [PMID: 35341673 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2022.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Revised: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
A person's well-being depends heavily on forming and maintaining positive relationships, but people can be reluctant to connect in ways that would create or strengthen relationships. Emerging research suggests that miscalibrated social cognition may create psychological barriers to connecting with others more often. Specifically, people may underestimate how positively others will respond to their own sociality across a variety of social actions, including engaging in conversation, expressing appreciation, and performing acts of kindness. We suggest that these miscalibrated expectations are created and maintained by at least three mechanisms: differential construal, uncertain responsiveness, and asymmetric learning. Underestimating the positive consequences of social engagement could make people less social than would be optimal for both their own and others' well-being.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Xuan Zhao
- Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Stav Atir
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
19
|
Filipkowski KB, Jones DR, Bernstein MJ, Smyth JM. Stress-responses to ostracism: Examining cortisol and affective reactivity to in-person and online exclusion. J Health Psychol 2021; 27:1793-1804. [PMID: 33860689 DOI: 10.1177/13591053211001411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Ostracism is associated with poor outcomes, but it is unclear if online versus in-person ostracism elicits divergent psychological and physiological responses. Participants (N = 54) were randomly assigned to online or in-person ostracism, and provided pre- and post-ostracism measures of affect, self-esteem, self-feelings, and salivary cortisol. No significant changes in negative affect, self-esteem, or self-feelings emerged, nor were there differences by ostracism condition. Both ostracism conditions decreased positive affect (stronger online) and lowered cortisol. Extending prior work, ostracism appears to reliably decrease positive affect (especially online) but may not be threatening to the self; moreover, ostracism may reliably elicit acute cortisol declines.
Collapse
|
20
|
Ren D, Evans AM. Leaving the Loners Alone: Dispositional Preference for Solitude Evokes Ostracism. PERSONALITY AND SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY BULLETIN 2020; 47:1294-1308. [PMID: 33135544 PMCID: PMC8258721 DOI: 10.1177/0146167220968612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
What are the interpersonal consequences of seeking solitude? Leading theories in developmental research have proposed that having a general preference for solitude may incur significant interpersonal costs, but empirical studies are still lacking. In five studies (total N = 1,823), we tested whether target individuals with a higher preference for solitude were at greater risk for ostracism, a common, yet extremely negative, experience. In studies using self-reported experiences (Study 1) and perceptions of others’ experiences (Study 2), individuals with a stronger preference for solitude were more likely to experience ostracism. Moreover, participants were more willing to ostracize targets with a high (vs. low) preference for solitude (Studies 3 and 4). Why do people ostracize solitude-seeking individuals? Participants assumed that interacting with these individuals would be aversive for themselves and the targets (Study 5; preregistered). Together, these studies suggest that seeking time alone has important (and potentially harmful) interpersonal consequences.
Collapse
|