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Exclusion and nonconscious behavioral mimicry: The role of belongingness threat

Lakin, Jessica L.

Abstract Details

2003, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Psychology.
Human beings are social animals; the need to belong and be accepted is fundamental, and social exclusion can be devastating. It is therefore not surprising that people have developed behaviors, even automatic behaviors, which may help them to maintain relationships with important others. Research on nonconscious behavioral mimicry suggests that mimicking the nonverbal behaviors of others creates liking and rapport, and may therefore represent one way for an excluded person to affiliate with someone new. The current studies explored this hypothesis. In both experiments, participants played a simulated online ball-tossing game and were excluded by three computer-controlled players. They then completed an ostensibly unrelated task with a confederate who was not aware of the exclusion that occurred during the ball-tossing game. Experiment 1 demonstrated that people who were recently excluded from a social group mimicked the behaviors of a confederate more than people who were included in that group. Experiment 2 extended this finding by showing that, in addition to creating liking and rapport, mimicking the behaviors of others may also address threatened belongingness needs. Specifically, female participants were excluded by an all-female or all-male group and then interacted with a female or male confederate. When the female participants were excluded by an ingroup (i.e., females) and the confederate was also an ingroup member, they mimicked the behavior of that confederate more. This effect appeared to be mediated by belongingness threat. To the extent that individuals felt that they had been excluded from the group and that they belonged to that group, they mimicked the ingroup confederate more. The results of these experiments suggest that mimicking the behaviors of others may be a pro-social consequence of being excluded. In addition, people may be able to regulate their group identities by affiliating through mimicry, even though mimicry happens without intention, awareness, or conscious control. This suggests that nonconsciously mimicking the behaviors of others is functional and adaptive, and furthers the perspective that the unconscious is flexible and able to adapt to new situations.
Robert Arkin (Advisor)
111 p.

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Lakin, J. L. (2003). Exclusion and nonconscious behavioral mimicry: The role of belongingness threat [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1060011302

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Lakin, Jessica. Exclusion and nonconscious behavioral mimicry: The role of belongingness threat. 2003. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1060011302.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Lakin, Jessica. "Exclusion and nonconscious behavioral mimicry: The role of belongingness threat." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2003. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1060011302

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)