Abstract

An extensive literature on ostracism shows clear costs for targets; less clear is whether sources of ostracism also face costs. Further, most ostracism experiments fail to speak to ostracism in “real life.” Two studies informed by self-determination theory (SDT) tested whether ostracizers suffer in comparable ways to targets of ostracism in real-life experiences. Results of a diary study found both ostracizing and being ostracized related to worse psychological health because of thwarted psychological needs for autonomy and relatedness. A follow-up experiment found that ostracizing, even when it felt justified, yielded psychological costs, and all groups involved in ostracism suffered because of thwarted autonomy and relatedness. Findings provide evidence for SDT hypotheses concerning inherent costs of harming others.

摘要

大量关于排斥的文献显示了目标的明确成本；不太清楚的是，排斥的根源是否也面临成本。此外，大多数排斥实验未能在“现实生活”中说明排斥。两项由自决理论 (SDT) 提供信息的研究测试了排斥者是否以与现实生活中的排斥目标相当的方式遭受痛苦。一项日记研究的结果发现，排斥和被排斥都与更糟糕的心理健康有关，因为对自主性和关联性的心理需求受阻。一项后续实验发现，排斥，即使感觉是合理的，也会产生心理成本，并且所有参与排斥的群体都因自主性和相关性受到阻碍而遭受痛苦。调查结果为 SDT 关于伤害他人的内在成本的假设提供了证据。