The effects of inclusion and overinclusion: explanations for treatment matter

Abstract

The current work quantitatively explored whether the explanation for overinclusion moderates its effect. In Study 1, female participants were excluded, included, or overincluded in a virtual ball-tossing game and given reason to believe this treatment was due to their gender or not. In Study 2, female participants imagined a scenario in which they were included or overincluded due to their gender or not. The effect of inclusion versus overinclusion on participants’ need satisfaction was significantly moderated by the explanation for this treatment in both studies. This work suggests that including or even overincluding members of traditionally underrepresented groups is not sufficient for members of these communities to have positive group experiences; the explanations they have for their treatment matters.