Seeking solitude after being ostracized: A replication and beyond

Dongning Ren*, Eric D. Wesselmann, Ilja van Beest

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleScientificpeer-review

55 Citations (Scopus)
284 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Individuals may respond to ostracism by either behaving prosocially or antisocially. A recent paper provides evidence for a third response: solitude seeking, suggesting that ostracized individuals may ironically engage in self-perpetuating behaviors which exacerbate social isolation. To examine this counterintuitive response to ostracism, we conceptually replicated the original paper in three studies (N = 1,118). Ostracism experiences were associated with preference for solitude across four samples (Study 1), and being ostracized increased participants’ desires for solitude (Studies 2 and 3). Extending beyond the original paper, we demonstrated that only the experience of being ostracized, but not ostracizing others or the feeling of conspicuousness, triggered the desire for solitude. Diverging from the original paper, trait extraversion did not moderate the effect of ostracism on solitude desires. Taken together, the current research provides additional and stronger empirical evidence that solitude seeking is a common response to ostracism.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)426-440
JournalPersonality and Social Psychology Bulletin
Volume47
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2021

Keywords

  • AGE-DIFFERENCES
  • CONCEPTUALIZATION
  • CONSEQUENCES
  • EXCLUSION
  • MOTIVATION
  • NEED
  • REJECTION
  • RESPONSES
  • SELF
  • SOCIAL MEDIA OSTRACISM
  • exclusion
  • extraversion
  • ostracism
  • rejection
  • solitude

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