Newton, Joseph, Von Hecker, Ulrich  ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8873-0515, Haddock, Geoff ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5293-2772 and Proulx, Travis ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3763-3138
2026.
Peer influence and risk following ostracism: The moderating role of rejection sensitivity and reward availability.
Social Cognition
44
(4)
, pp. 457-490.
10.1521/soco.2026.44.4.457
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Abstract
Being ignored and excluded is a painful experience that impacts crucial higher-order cognitive processes. We report two experiments examining the effect of ostracism on risk-related decision-making, peer conformity, and the moderating role of individual differences in rejection sensitivity. In Experiment 1, participants recalled being ostracized or included before completing a health risk-perception peer-influence task. Ostracized participants showed a significant decrease in risk perception but conformed more to risk-averse peers. In Experiment 2, participants completed a social gambling task, with ostracized participants exhibiting riskier behavior than included participants. Unlike Experiment 1, ostracized participants were more influenced by peers displaying moderately risky behaviors, rather than highly risk-averse ones. These effects were moderated by participants’ level of sensitivity to rejection. Together, these findings provide further evidence that ostracism alters risky decision-making and offers insight into how the peer environment shapes risk-taking.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Date Type: | Publication |
| Status: | Published |
| Schools: | Schools > Psychology |
| Publisher: | Guilford Press |
| ISSN: | 0278-016X |
| Date of First Compliant Deposit: | 2 September 2026 |
| Last Modified: | 02 Sep 2026 14:00 |
| URI: | https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/188968 |
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