Life lacks meaning without acceptance: Ostracism triggers suicidal thoughts.

Abstract

Eleven studies (N = 2,254; 2 preregistered) examined whether ostracism would trigger suicidal thoughts and whether perceived meaning in life would account for this effect. The feeling of ostracism was induced via recalling a past experience (Studies 1a, 1c, 2c, and 3b), imagining a future experience (Studies 1d, 1e, and 2b), engaging in an online real-time interaction (Studies 1b and 2d), or receiving bogus personality feedback (Study 3a). Across all 11 studies, ostracism increased suicidal thoughts. Study 1a found that ostracism increased implicit associations of “death” and “me” relative to “life” and “me” on the Implicit Association Test of Suicide (Nock et al., 2010). In Study 1b, ostracized participants showed more suicidal thoughts in imagined stressful situations than did included participants. Studies 1c, 1d, and 1e further showed that ostracism increased explicit suicidal thoughts compared with both inclusion and neutral experiences. Furthermore, we found that perceived meaning in life accounted for ostracism’s effect on suicidal thoughts (Studies 2a and 2b), even after controlling for depressive affect (Study 2c). In Study 2d, a preregistered study, we directly compared the contributions of perceived meaning in life and the 4 basic needs and mood proposed in William’s (2007, 2009) ostracism framework, and we found that perceived meaning in life had a distinct mediating role in the ostracism-suicidal thinking link. Finally, Studies 3a and 3b found that self-affirmation exercises reduced suicidal thoughts following ostracism. Life lacks meaning without social connection, thereby activating suicidal thoughts.

The relationship of perceived social support to feelings of hopelessness under COVID-19 pandemic: The effects of epidemic risk and meaning in life

“…In this intermediary path, perceived social support positively predicted meaning in life, while meaning in life negatively predicted hopelessness. This result was similar to those of past studies, and indicated that establishing interpersonal networks helps residents feel a societal connection, thus creating a sense of meaning and a decrease in depression or suicidal thoughts ( Chen et al, 2020 ; Deci & Ryan, 1985 ). The thriving through relationships model and self-determination model state that perceived social support increases residents' sense of belonging and self-worth, which are important for finding purpose and meaning in their lives and purpose for the future in unsafe environments ( Feeney & Collins, 2015 ; Haslam et al, 2015 ; Stillman et al, 2009 ).…”

“…Although no previous studies have directly tested the mediating role of meaning in life between perceived social support and hopelessness, there is evidence indicating that without social connection, people would lack life meaning and harbor suicidal thoughts ( Chen et al, 2020 ). Specifically, the thriving through relationships model proposes that perceived social support not only changes the way people make inferences about stress, but it can also activate recipients' participation in life, broadening and constructing individual resources, and help individuals find purpose and meaning in life ( Feeney & Collins, 2015 ).…”

Ostracism Disrupts Self-Continuity

“…Howell and Shepperd (2017) found that selfaffirmation decreased the avoidance of health risk information engendered by ostracism. Chen et al (2020) found that self-affirmation reduced suicidal thoughts triggered by ostracism. On the basis of these theories and findings, it is reasonable to suggest that self-affirmation buffers the negative effect of ostracism on self-continuity.…”

“…Besides the direct link between ostracism and self-continuity, various theories assume that ostracism has a negative effect on self-esteem (Leary & Baumeister, 2000;Leary & Downs, 1995;Smart Richman & Leary, 2009;Williams, 1997Williams, , 2009. Indeed, a wide range of empirical research has provided converging support that ostracism disrupts both the need for and the state of self-esteem (e.g., Chen et al, 2020;Ferris et al, 2015;Leary et al, 2003;Li et al, 2019). As important as the aspect of self-concept, selfesteem affects a wide range of constructs.…”

“…Such reflection might be a form of self-affirmation. However, self-affirmation is frequently manipulated by asking participants to reflect on the values they find important (e.g., Chen et al, 2020). Future research should investigate whether other forms of self-affirmation, such as reflection on important values, help attenuate ostracism's negative effect on self-continuity.…”