Intercultural Differences in the Experience of and Behavior After Social Exclusion

Social exclusion - being kept apart from others - has severe psychological and physiological consequences. The degree to which people are threatened by social exclusion, however, depends on multiple factors. In the current research article, we consider the question of how cultural differences shape the experience of social exclusion. According to the current state of research, people with a collectivistic background are less affected by exclusion than are people with an individualistic background, since it is perceived as less threatening and destabilizing. In addition to the empirical evidence for this effect, we address boundary conditions; moreover, theoretical and practical implications are suggested.