Reactions to Ostracism and Their Predictors

This study was conducted to examine how individual differences in personality predict variance in reactions to ostracism, and to explore the effects of re-inclusion on ostracism reactions. Participants completed five personality measures before the ostracism was delivered in a chat-room paradigm. The chat-room consisted of phases during which participants were included, excluded, and re-included in the discussion, and enjoyment and participation were measured after each chat-room phase. Enjoyment and participation decreased during exclusion and increased during re-inclusion. Throughout all phases of the chat-room, enjoyment and participation were positively correlated with social competence and negatively correlated with loneliness and social isolation. Although moderate correlations between personality measures and reactions to ostracism emerged, these results were not significant. Given the preliminary nature of this study, more complete interpretation of results will occur after all participants have been assessed