Hostile cognitions and emotions following social exclusion in Japanese adults and young children

Abstract

Social exclusion heightens negative emotions and hostile cognition toward others; however, its effects on non-Western adults and children remain unclear. These studies examined the effects on Japanese adults (N = 68; 34 female; M_age = 21.87 years) and 4- to 6-year-old children (N = 147; 78 female). The results showed that although excluded adults reported higher negative emotions and hostile evaluations of excluders, hostile cognitions toward others did not differ significantly between the inclusion and exclusion conditions. Excluded older children reported higher hostile evaluations toward excluders; however, emotions and hostile cognitions toward others did not differ significantly between the conditions. Although developmental changes in emotions and hostile evaluations were suggested, this research partially contradicts previous Western findings, highlighting the need for cross-cultural research.