Not all rejections are alike; Competence and warmth as a fundamental distinction in social rejection [Dataset]

Social rejection can lead to a variety of emotions. Two studies show that specific emotional reactions to social rejection can be understood by relying on the fundamental distinction between competence and warmth. Rejection that is perceived to be due to incompetence leads to anger, whereas rejection that is perceived to be due to lack of warmth leads to sadness. Study 1 measures perceptions of competence and warmth judgments. Study 2 manipulates those perceptions. In both studies, rejection that was perceived to be the result of incompetence led primarily to anger, while rejection that was perceived to be the result of lack of warmth led primarily to sadness. These results show that the effects of rejection can be better understood if we take into account how rejection is perceived.
Highlights
► Adaptive emotional reactions to social rejection
► Compare effects of rejection due to lack of competence and due to lack of warmth
► Rejection due to lack of competence primarily leads to anger
► Rejection due to lack of warmth primarily leads to sadness

社会排斥可引发多种情绪。两项研究证实，针对社会排斥的特异性情绪反应，可依托能力与热情的根本性区分维度加以阐释：当个体感知到排斥源于自身能力不足时，主要引发愤怒情绪；而当感知到排斥源于自身热情缺失时，则主要引发悲伤情绪。研究1测量了个体对能力与热情的感知判断，研究2则对这类感知实施了实验操控。两项研究均发现，被归因于能力不足的社会排斥主要引发愤怒，而被归因于热情缺失的社会排斥主要引发悲伤。上述结果表明，若考量个体对排斥的感知方式，便能更深入地理解社会排斥的效应机制。

研究亮点
► 社会排斥引发的适应性情绪反应
► 对比能力不足型排斥与热情缺失型排斥的效应差异
► 能力不足型排斥主要引发愤怒情绪
► 热情缺失型排斥主要引发悲伤情绪