Belonging to a majority reduces the immediate need threat from ostracism in individuals with a high need to belong. (15th August 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Eck, Jennifer; Schoel, Christiane; Greifeneder, Rainer
• Is Part Of: European journal of social psychology. Volume 47:Number 3(2017)
• Page Start: 273
• Page End: 288
• Publication Date: 2017-08-15
• Subjects: ostracism -- social exclusion -- majority -- need to belong -- need threat; Social psychology -- Periodicals; 302
• DOI: 10.1002/ejsp.2233
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0046-2772

Abstract

Abstract: Ostracism—being ignored and excluded—threatens the basic human needs for belonging, self‐esteem, control, and meaningful existence. This work introduces belonging to a majority as a buffer against the immediate negative impact of ostracism on basic needs for individuals with a high need to belong, for whom social groups are especially relevant. Three studies show that for individuals high in the need to belong, need threat was attenuated by membership in a majority group, but not by membership in a minority group (Studies 1 and 3) or a group of unknown size (Study 2). By contrast, individuals low in the need to belong—who place less importance on group membership in general—did not benefit from belonging to a majority group. The general pattern replicated across different manipulations of group membership and social exclusion, with two measures of need threat, and with participants from two different countries.