The Shifting Lens of Ostracism: Exploring the Impact of Social Exclusion on Situational Perception Dimensions

Abstract

Does a change in situational cues directly influence how people construe a situation? This study provides experimental evidence that ostracism is associated with systematic shifts in situational perception and affective responses, and examines whether these situational perceptions account for more variance in feelings of being ignored and excluded than broad personality traits. Through both between‐subject (Study 1, n  = 446) and within‐subject designs (Study 2, n  = 259), ostracism was consistently associated with greater perceived Negativity and Adversity and lower pOsitivity. Across both studies, situational perception accounted for more variance in feelings of being ignored and excluded than the Big Five traits, with pOsitivity and Negativity emerging as the most consistent predictors. Primary analyses were estimated using multiple imputation, with complete‐case analyses retained as sensitivity checks. The central pattern of findings remained robust across missing‐data approaches, although some secondary effects in Study 2 were less stable, highlighting the importance of measuring situational perception when examining how social exclusion shapes subjective construals and emotional responses.