THE EFFECT OF SOCIAL EXCLUSION ON THE PERCEPTION OF TRUSTWORTHINESS

Abstract

Social exclusion is an unpleasant experience and represents an integral part of everyday social interaction. Its consequences are reflected in altered thoughts, emotions and behavior. Long-term negative consequences have been noted as well, such as reduced subjective well-being and poor mental health. Social exclusion is also known to have repercussions on cognitive processes, specifically on perception, although the results in this area are somewhat contradictory. It has been observed that excluded persons show preserved or even increased sensitivity to social cues, especially those that signal the possibility of reconnection (e.g., smile). On the other hand, it has been noticed that social exclusion can have a negative effect in this context, making the perception of social cues inaccurate, "distorted". The aim of this study was to examine how the experienced social exclusion affects the perception of trustworthiness, specifically, the ability to make a distinction between trustworthy and untrustworthy faces. Between subject design 2 (Social rejection: excluded vs. included) x 2 (Trustworthiness: trustworthy vs. untrustworthy) was used, with the level of attributed trustworthiness as a dependent variable. The sample consisted of 120 first- and second-year psychology students. The results showed that excluded participants attributed significantly different levels of trustworthiness to trustworthy and untrustworthy faces, which may indicate that they have preserved or even enhanced sensitivity in social perception. The obtained results were discussed in accordance with the existing theoretical assumptions.