Ostracism causes psychological distress. Two experiments examined whether cuing possible external or internal causes of ostracism immediately after the ostracism experience would mitigate ostracism distress, and whether attachment orientations would moderate the effects of attribution on distress immediately and after a short delay after cue. Participants were randomly assigned to one of four different attribution experimental groups - ostracized with no explanation, cuing internal/external attribution, included (not ostracized)-immediately after the Cyberball game. Distress was measured immediately and after the delay. External attribution led to less distress immediately after the ostracism episode and mitigated distress altogether after the delay. Attachment avoidance moderated these attribution effects. The findings suggest that faster recovery may be achieved by cuing an external explanation for ostracism.

排斥会导致心理困扰。两个实验检查了在被排斥经历后立即提示可能导致排斥的外部或内部原因是否会减轻排斥困扰，以及依恋取向是否会立即和提示后短暂延迟后缓解归因对痛苦的影响。参与者被随机分配到四个不同的归因实验组之一 - 没有解释地被排斥，提示内部/外部归因，包括（未排斥） - 在网络球游戏之后立即。立即和延迟后测量苦恼。外部归因在排斥事件发生后立即减少了痛苦，并在延迟后完全减轻了痛苦。依恋回避缓和了这些归因效应。