Inhaltszusammenfassung

This chapter presents an overview about how uninvolved observers perceive, interpret and evaluate ostracism and eventually, how they react to ostracism situations. Whereas research has often focused on how observers empathize with targets of ostracism and “feel their pain,” different attributions about the underlying motives for ostracism result in strong differences with regard to observers’ evaluations and behavior. If observers attribute ostracism to a malicious motive of the sources, the...This chapter presents an overview about how uninvolved observers perceive, interpret and evaluate ostracism and eventually, how they react to ostracism situations. Whereas research has often focused on how observers empathize with targets of ostracism and “feel their pain,” different attributions about the underlying motives for ostracism result in strong differences with regard to observers’ evaluations and behavior. If observers attribute ostracism to a malicious motive of the sources, they blame and punish the sources for it. However, if ostracism is attributed to a punitive motive following some norm-violation of the target, observers blame and punish the target. Another motive for ostracism that is perceived as socially acceptable is role-consisted ostracism. Because observers often lack information about the ostracism situation, they might revert to heuristics and stereotypes. This creates the potential for misattributions, which might then result in unfair blaming and unjust punishments of either targets or sources. In addition, observers’ intention to act on ostracism might be influenced by the motive to protect oneself from becoming a target as well. We end this chapter with several suggestions for research on observers of ostracism as well as practical interventions that can increase observers’ awareness of ostracism and assist them in making informed moral judgments. » weiterlesen» einklappen

Autoren

Klassifikation

DFG Fachgebiet:
Psychologie

DDC Sachgruppe:
Psychologie