Social ostracism in task groups: The effects of group composition

• In Event: Considering the Role of Group Composition and Group Context

Abstract

Our paradigm for studying social ostracism uses group discussions in which an uninformed (i.e., target) member is ignored by two informed members (i.e., sources). In an experiment using three-person, mixed-sex groups, the pain associated with being ignored during discussion depended on the group’s composition. Targets hurt more when the pair of sources included one ingroup (same sex) and one outgroup (opposite sex) member compared to when both sources belonged to the outgroup (opposite sex).

Authors

• Gwen Wittenbaum, Michigan State University

• Hillary Shulman, Michigan State University