Ostracism negatively impacts working self-perceptions of personality

Abstract

We examined if being ostracized (excluded and ignored) changes working self-perception of personality ─ a core aspect of the self ─ which may contribute to understanding post-ostracism behaviour. Across three studies (N = 943), using a virtual ball-toss game (i.e., Cyberball), participants were either ostracized, included or mentally visualized playing the game. Subsequently, participants reported working self-perceptions of their personality (using two measures of Big Five personality), ostracism's immediate effects (e.g., basic needs) and post-ostracism behavioural intentions: aggressive temptations and solitude seeking. Across the studies, ostracism in Cyberball negatively impacted working self-perception of personality: ostracized participants were less conscientious, agreeable, open and extraverted, and more neurotic (negative emotionality), compared to controls. Illustrating that altered working self-perceptions are important to consider, ostracism's increase of aggressive temptations was mediated by agreeableness, even when accounting for ostracism's immediate (reflexive) effects. Additionally, ostracism's increase in solitude seeking was mediated by extraversion. Ultimately, these aversive self-perceptions may create difficulties in socially connecting with others.