Authors: Twenge, Jean M.¹; Zhang, Liqing²; Catanese, Kathleen R.³; Dolan-Pascoe, Brenda¹; Lyche, Leif F.⁴; Baumeister, Roy F.⁵

Source: British Journal of Social Psychology, Volume 46, Number 1, March 2007 , pp. 205-224(20)

Abstract:

Previous research found that social rejection leads to increased aggression. How can this aggressive behaviour be prevented? Four experiments demonstrate that reminders of social activity reduce aggression after social exclusion. A brief, friendly social connection with an experimenter (versus a neutral interaction) reduced aggression after social rejection. A traditional mood induction had no effect on aggressive behaviour, showing that an activity must be social to be effective. Participants who wrote about a family member, a friend or a favourite celebrity were also not aggressive after rejection. The effect was mediated by trust in other people but not by state self-esteem or mood. Rejected participants who have an alternative source of social connection eschew the increased aggression usually displayed after social exclusion.

Document Type: Research article

DOI: 10.1348/014466605X90793

Affiliations: 1: San Diego State University, USA 2: Beijing University, PR China 3: Cleveland Community College, USA 4: University of Kansas, USA 5: Florida State University, USA