The KKK won't let me play: ostracism even by a despised outgroup hurts

TLDR

Ostracism by outgroup members is known to be aversive. The study investigates whether ostracism from a despised outgroup causes emotional distress. Ostracism was induced via the Cyberball online ball‑toss game. Participants ostracized by despised outgroup members reported reduced belonging, self‑esteem, control, meaningful existence, and more negative mood, and these effects were as strong as ostracism by rival or ingroup members, yet they also showed heightened outgroup negativity only when ostracized by despised members, underscoring the potent impact of ostracism and the need to differentiate outgroup types. © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Abstract

Abstract Previous research has shown that ostracism even by outgroup members is aversive. In this study we examined whether ostracism by a particular type of outgroup, a despised outgroup, was sufficient to inflict emotional distress. We manipulated ostracism using Cyberball, an on‐line ball toss game. Ostracized participants reported lower levels of belonging, self‐esteem, control, and meaningful existence, and more negative mood, than included participants. Moreover, ostracism by despised outgroup members was no less aversive than ostracism by rival outgroup or ingroup members. Participants differentiated between the groups, however; ostracized individuals reported greater outgroup negativity than included participants only when their co‐players were members of the despised outgroup. We interpret these results as evidence for the powerful impact of ostracism and the potential importance of distinguishing between qualitatively different outgroups. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.