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Understanding the Biological Basis of Behavior
John T. Cacioppo’s research looked at the connections between the social and neural mechanisms underlying human behavior. He investigated how societal influences and personal relationships affect cognition and emotions. As a social species, humans have
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Social Acceptance and Rejection: The Sweet and the Bitter
Psychology researchers have long been interested in close relationships, but have only more recently begun investigating social exclusion.
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Heartbreak Puts Brakes on Heart
HealthDay: Waiting for another person’s opinion of you will slow your heart, and its rate will dip even further if you get rejected, a new Dutch study has found. “Unexpected social rejection could literally feel
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Ostracism: just as bad as bullying but harder to ban
The Boston Globe: The proposed plea deal for five defendants charged in connection with harassing 15-year-old Phoebe Prince — a South Hadley girl who committed suicide last year — reminds us of the evils of
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Ostracism hurts—but how? Shedding light on a silent, invisible abuse
Humans need to belong. Yet they also commonly leave others out. Animals abandon the weakest to ensure the survival of the fittest. So do kindergartners and ’tweens, softball players and office workers. Common though they
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Mean Girls: The Science Behind the Silver Screen Hit
No one likes to be excluded, women especially. A study published in Psychological Science found that when females feel a threat of social exclusion, they are more likely than males to respond by forming other
