The Effect Of Social Exclusion On Stereotyping:Different Mechanisms For Different Genders

On the basis of the need-threat model and the gender differences in sociality, three studies investigated the effect of social exclusion on stereotyping and the different mechanisms for different genders.Study 1 used impression formation task to examine whether participants following exclusion (by Cyberball) would be more carefully processing the somewhat counter-stereotypical information of the targets, and thus stereotype less when judging the targets on stereotype relevant traits. Results showed that social exclusion could discourage stereotyping among both male and female participants. Study 2 examined the effect of social exclusion on participants’ senses of power and affiliation motivations, along with the moderating effect of participants’ gender. Results showed that, following exclusion (by Scenario Descriptions), male participants showed significant reduced level of their senses of power, while female participants showed significant increased level of affiliation motivaitions. Study 3 exmained between social exclusion and stereotyping the mediator roles of affiliation motivation and sense of power, along with the gender differences in them. Results showed that, for male participants, the effect of social exclusion on stereotyping was partially mediated by their senses of power, whereas for female participants, the effect was partially mediated by their affiliation motivations.The conclusions are as follows:(a) Social exclusion can discourage stereotyping. (b) For males, social exclusion can reduce their senses of power, while has no effect on their affiliation motivations. For females, social exclusion can boost their affiliation motivations, while has no effect on their senses of power. (c) The effect of Social exclusion on stereotyping has different mechanisms for different gender. For males, social exclusion reduces their senses of power, and thus partially reduces sterotyping. For females, social exclusion increases their affiliation motivations, and thus partially reduces sterotyping.