The Desire for Social Reconnection as shown on the Approach-Avoidance Task

Abstract

Theories concerning social rejection propose that rejected individuals are motivated by the need to belong following exclusion. The current study examined the motive to reconnect after rejection by using the Approach-Avoidance Task (AAT). The AAT measures the desire to reconnect automatically as shown by assessing approach and avoidance motor responses. Based on previous research, it was anticipated that excluded participants would approach happy faces faster than neutral faces compared to included participants. This study was conducted with 34 undergraduate participants. Each participated in a game of Cyberball and was exposed to either social inclusion or exclusion. Following Cyberball, participants then performed the AAT to measure the automatic inclination to reconnect. The results were found to be non-significant, and the hypothesis stated above was not confirmed. However, the results trended towards significance, which is consistent with previous research. The findings of this study suggest that the motivation to reconnect following rejection may be instinctive. Overall, for a between-subjects design the small sample size lead to inconclusive results. Further research is necessary to test the hypothesis with a larger sample. Keywords: ostracism, social rejection, social exclusion, social reconnection, cyberball, the approach-avoidance task