Ostracism, Exclusion, and Rejection

Ostracism, Exclusion, and Rejection examines research into the related phenomena of ostracism, exclusion and rejection. Most individuals have experienced both sides of the coin: being ostracized and ostracizing others. People experience mild forms of ostracism on a daily basis, but some endure years and decades of being the social outcast. How does it feel to be shunned, left out, not wanted? Research suggests that even the mildest and briefest forms of ostracism are painful and have downstream consequences to our feelings of social connection. Longer-term ostracism has devastating consequences on individuals’ health and well-being.

This innovative compilation covers how being cast out affects the brain and body chemistry, feelings and emotions, thoughts and beliefs, and behaviors. In addition to the primary focus on targets of ostracism, researchers also examine the motives and consequences of ostracizing. Social scientists from social psychology, developmental psychology, neuroscience, communication science, cross-cultural psychology, and anthropology tackle these questions with cutting-edge methods and provocative theories. A key volume for all in those fields, this book also presents applications from the schoolyard to the workplace, and sounds a much-needed call for further research on this universal behavior of all social animals.

Kipling D. Williams is Professor of Psychological Sciences at Purdue University. His prior posts have been at Macquarie University and the University of New South Wales, the University of Toledo, and Drake University. His research focuses on ostracism and social influence.

Steve A. Nida is Professor and Head of the Department of Psychology at The Citadel, in Charleston, South Carolina. He is a social psychologist whose research interests have also included helping behavior and sports psychology.