PERSONALITY MODERATORS OF REACTIONS TO INTERPERSONAL REJECTION - DEPRESSION AND TRAIT SELF-ESTEEM

Two experiments were conducted to examine the moderating effects of de pression and trait self-esteem on reactions to social exclusion. Parti cipants received information indicating that they had Been. included i n or excluded from a laboratory group and that their inclusion or excl usion was based either on the other group members' preferences or on a random procedure. Participants who scored high in depression (Experim ent 1) and low in self-esteem (Experiment 2) responded more strongly ( and logically) to the experimental manipulations than participants low in depression and high in self-esteem. The results suggested that dep ression and low self-esteem place people at risk for dysphoria and sel f-devaluation following interpersonal rejection.