Journal of Social Psychology最新文献

Although honesty is vital for trust and stability, individuals in romantic relationships may sometimes favor deception over harsh truths. This study examines the relationship between relationship satisfaction, resilience, and the preference for hearing prosocial lies from a romantic partner. We hypothesized that prosocial lies may be positively linked to relationship satisfaction, especially for less resilient individuals who rely on positive feedback to manage stress. First, we piloted scenarios depicting prosocial and egoistic lies in romantic relationships. Next, individuals (N = 672) chose whether they preferred their partner to lie or tell the truth. Results showed that lower relationship satisfaction was associated with a greater preference for hearing prosocial lies. This association was mediated by perceiving truth as harmful at mean and high levels of emotional resilience, indicating that prosocial lies are less desired in satisfying relationships but preferred in strained ones.

Some researchers suggest that fear can motivate climate protection measures by increasing risk perception. Others argue that fear-based messages can lead to avoidance or denial, making positive messages such as appeals to hope a more effective strategy. This study aimed to investigate whether textual appeals to fear are more effective than appeals to hope or neutral stimuli in increasing climate change risk perceptions and whether there is a difference between appeals to hope and neutral messages. This experimental study involved 233 university students (48.5% women) aged 18 to 33. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions (fear, hope, and neutral), after which their risk perceptions of climate change were measured. A one-way ANOVA showed that there were no significant differences in risk perception between the three groups, suggesting that neither fear nor hope appeals were more effective than neutral stimuli in increasing risk perception of climate change.

Body dissatisfaction is a widespread concern linked to negative psychological outcomes. While much research has focused on dissatisfaction with weight and muscularity, dissatisfaction with height - an unchangeable trait - remains underexplored. We examined whether social media engagement and related cognitive factors predict height dissatisfaction. A sample of 332 Australian adults (72.89% female; M_age = 24.42) completed measures assessing height dissatisfaction, social media use, awareness of appearance-related social media content, internalization of appearance ideals, and sociocultural pressures.We found that shorter height, greater awareness of appearance-related content, stronger internalization of ideals, and higher sociocultural pressure were each associated with increased height dissatisfaction. Additionally, sociocultural pressure (β= .28, p< .001) and social media awareness (β  = .15, p = .012) were unique predictors of height dissatisfaction. Last, an exploratory analysis of sex differences indicated that the link between social media awareness and height dissatisfaction was stronger among males. Findings highlight the role of sociocultural and digital influences in height-related body image concerns.

Do students perceive mindset beliefs communicated by their colleges, and if so, how are they reflected in students' psychological and academic outcomes? This research explores how students' important outcomes are linked to perceived institutional mindset: students' perceptions of the degree to which their college views ability as immutable and unchangeable (an institutional fixed mindset) or malleable and expandable (an institutional growth mindset). With a diverse sample of first-year students (N > 10,000) at 22 U.S. colleges, we hypothesized, and found, that perceiving more of an institutional growth (vs. fixed) mindset is associated with greater belonging and academic self-confidence, better health and well-being, higher grades, and more credits taken and earned. Moreover, perceived institutional growth mindset correlates with lower stereotype threat, especially among underrepresented minority and first-generation college students. Given these relationships with important student outcomes, institutional mindset may be an important contextual factor for understanding students' experiences.

Ostracism is a common yet profoundly impactful everyday experience with severe consequences for the affected individuals. Traditional methods like experiments or surveys typically fall short in capturing the immediate effects of ostracism in daily life. Fortunately, advances in experience sampling methods, particularly through smartphone-based apps, allow for a more precise examination of ostracism as it unfolds in daily life. By integrating event-contingent and time-contingent experience sampling methods, researchers can now comprehensively study the frequency and impact of ostracism, variabilities in how individuals respond to ostracism, as well as the risk and protective factors involved in ostracism experiences. The findings hold significant potential for developing effective, personalized interventions against ostracism in various settings. In conclusion, the continued refinement and application of experience sampling methods will be essential for advancing our understanding of ostracism and addressing its harmful effects in everyday life.

Ostracism research has largely focused on the role of the target. However, this perspective does not account for the significant roles played by two other parties in the dynamics of ostracism: the sources who decide to ostracize a target and the observers who may be uninvolved or side with either the target or the sources. Here, we argue that accounting for these two perspectives is important if one wants to arrive at a comprehensive picture of ostracism episodes. We present research on the reasons and motivations of the sources for ostracizing as well as research on factors that influence moral judgments and attributions of observers. Moreover, we suggest an agenda for future research that entails 1) linking the perspectives of targets, sources, and observers, 2) developing novel paradigms to study observers and sources, and 3) designing interventions that encourage sources and observers to detect and be mindful of the use of ostracism.

Humans have an inherent need to forge stable and quality social connections. One key benefit of having social connections is obtaining social support for navigating traumatic or otherwise stressful events. Ostracism (i.e. being both ignored and excluded, Williams, 2009) and other forms of social exclusion rob individuals of the opportunity to receive social support and likely contribute to stress-related mental health concerns. My colleagues and I tested this premise in different stress-related contexts, ranging from college students struggling with potentially stigmatizing secrets to community members who have experienced various types of traumatic incidents (e.g., miscarriage, military combat). We examined the connections among perceived ostracism, social support, and traumatic stress. We also examined the complex dynamics of how social support can be both beneficial and harmful depending upon how it is expressed and received. Future research could examine chronic ostracism as a form of psychological trauma.

The experiences of invisibility and hypervisibility have a strong presence in communities that are systematically oppressed and marginalized. Invisibility is viewed as a synonym for oblivious ostracism, implying that a person is deemed "unworthy of attention" within their social environment. In contrast, hypervisibility is being focused on more than is normative in that environment. Past research has found that both the experience of invisibility and hypervisibility threaten Black individuals' fundamental needs and lead to worse mood, with invisibility being more need-threatening. Additional research indicates that individuals who experience invisibility tend to use it strategically. Future research should continue to explore the nuances and potential overlaps of invisibility and hypervisibility across the stages of the Temporal Need-Threat Model. Additionally, future researchers should utilize diverse populations and technological advancements to understand the psychological and behavioral effects of invisibility and hypervisibility in other racial and ethnic groups.

The temporal need-threat model of ostracism, developed by Kipling Williams, provides a comprehensive framework for understanding how ostracism - being ignored and excluded - impacts fundamental human needs over time. This manuscript critically examines the temporal dimension of this model by addressing three key questions. First, does chronic ostracism inevitably lead to resignation? This section explores the inevitability of resignation outcomes and the potential role of moderating factors. Second, do individual differences influence reactions across the model's three stages? This section investigates how personal traits may shape responses to ostracism, from reflexive reactions to long-term resignation. Third, how can the model be adapted to capture the specific features of digital ostracism? This section discusses the challenges and opportunities involved in applying the model to technology-mediated interactions. Ultimately, the manuscript advances theoretical and empirical understanding by refining the temporal structure of the model to account for both in-person and digital forms of ostracism.

The field of ostracism research is witnessing a growing interest in understanding ostracism - being excluded and ignored - as a lived experience outside of the laboratory context. How do researchers draw valid causal conclusions about naturally occurring experiences of ostracism without relying on experimental designs? In this article, we draw on insights from the well-established causal inference framework to emphasize a critical step for strengthening causal rigor: stating the causal estimand. Using an intuitive example, we illustrate what a causal estimand is, how to define it, and why it matters. With this article, we encourage readers to think clearly about causal estimands before conducting any data analysis. This conceptual step holds the potential for enhancing the rigor and precision of research studying ostracism as a naturally occurring phenomenon.