Riding the ‘O' Train: Comparing the Effects of Ostracism and Verbal Dispute on Targets and Sources

Lisa Zadro (1) , Kipling D. Williams (2) , Rick Richardson (3)

1 The University of Sydney
2 Purdue University [West Lafayette]
3 UNSW - University of New South Wales [Sydney]

In the present study we examined the effects of social ostracism (being excluded and ignored in the presence of others) on those who ostracize (sources) and those who are ostracized (targets). Unlike previous research that compared ostracism to social inclusion, the present study also compared ostracism to verbal dispute (i.e. an argument). A role-play method was used such that participants acted out a five-minute train ride in which two sources ignored or argued with a target sitting between them. In three studies, ostracism was shown to be a unique form of social conflict, with targets of ostracism reporting lower need satisfaction levels than targets of argument, whereas sources of ostracism reported higher need satisfaction levels than did sources of argument.

Mots clés: ostracism; role-play; verbal dispute

Lisa Zadro, Kipling D. Williams, Rick Richardson. Riding the ‘O' Train: Comparing the Effects of Ostracism and Verbal Dispute on Targets and Sources. Group Processes and Intergroup Relations, 2005, 8 (2), pp.125-143. ⟨10.1177/1368430205051062⟩. ⟨hal-00571597⟩