Social Exclusion and Selective Memory: How the Need to belong Influences Memory for Social Events

Abstract

The need to belong has been forwarded as a pervasive human motive, influencing a range of cognitive, emotional, and behavioral responses. The current research explored the influence of belongingness needs on the selective retention of social information. Just as physical hunger results in selective memory for food-relevant stimuli, it was hypothesized that social hunger, aroused when belongingness needs were unmet, would result in selective memory for socially relevant stimuli. In two studies, the authors used a simulated computer chat room to present brief acceptance or rejection experiences to participants. Participants then read a diary containing both social and individual events. In both, rejection experiences resulted in selective memory for the explicitly social events of the diary. The implications of these results for the existence and consequences of a basic need to belong are discussed.

A passion for respect: On understanding the role of human needs and morality

“…A crucial aspect in this self-definitional process is that people pursue a sense of inclusion -a tendency that is believed to be inherent to human beings in general (Kurzban & Leary, 2001). Research on the need to belong (e.g., Baumeister & Leary, 1995;Gardner, Pickett, & Brewer, 2000;Twenge, Baumeister, Tice, & Stucke, 2001;Twenge, Catanese, & Baumeister, 2002), indeed demonstrates that people are fundamentally motivated to be included in groups and relationships that they consider to be important to them. As a result, people are very attentive toward any type of relational information communicated by others, but particularly so when their need to belong is unfulfilled.…”

“…The importance and pervasiveness of this need to belong has been shown by research demonstrating that a lack of positive social relationships has detrimental effects on the physical, cognitive and behavioral level (Baumeister & Leary, 1995;Reis, Collins, & Berscheid, 2000). For example, not feeling accepted by others influences well-being negatively, reinforces selective memory for socially relevant information and undermines intrinsic motivation (e.g., Berscheid & Reis, 1998;Gardner, Gabriel, & Diekman, 2000;Gardner, Pickett, & Brewer, 2000), whereas fulfilling the need to belong positively influences cooperative behavior within groups (De Cremer & Leonardelli, 2003).…”

When fiends become friends: The need to belong and perceptions of personal and group discrimination.

“…That is, the motive should increase when levels of belongingness fall below threshold and should decrease when levels of belongingness are satiated (see also Gardner et al, 2000). In Study 2 we incorporated a manipulation intended to satiate participants' need to belong.…”

Group Belongingness and Procedural Justice: Social Inclusion and Exclusion by Peers Affects the Psychology of Voice.

“…That is, in our opinion one of the most fundamental aspects of group membership has not been sufficiently studied in relation to procedural justice: Whereas the relational model has predominantly focused on people's reactions to the actions of group authorities (Tyler & Lind, 1992), reactions to the actions of peers have been largely neglected in procedural justice research. One of the reasons why we think this is important is because it may well be argued that people's group membership often is determined by the extent to which people are socially included or excluded by their peers (e.g., Gardner, Pickett, & Brewer, 2000;Williams, 1997;Williams, Cheung, & Choi, 2000). People sometimes can only become and remain members of a group if their fellow group members approve of it.…”