
doi: 10.1111/psyp.70081
ABSTRACTOstracism (feeling ignored and excluded) triggers psychophysiological responses associated with distress. We investigated different coping responses after ostracism and explored whether these were preceded by unique facial thermal signatures, reflecting autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity. Using thermal infrared imaging, we recorded facial cutaneous temperature variations in female participants (N = 95) experiencing inclusion and ostracism using hypothetical Cyberball games. Coping after ostracism was assessed during a hypothetical Allocation Game, where participants could do nothing (withdrawal), reduce (antisocial), or increase (prosocial) the hypothetical earnings of their ostracizer. Contrary to expectations, most participants chose to withdraw (52%), with fewer opting for antisocial responses (30%) or prosocial responses (18%) after ostracism. Results from linear mixed‐effects modeling revealed that substantial temperature variability occurred only in the nose region of the face. Both ostracism and inclusion showed a decrease in nasal temperature relative to baseline, but the average drop was greater during inclusion, suggesting stronger ANS activation during inclusion rather than ostracism. Crucially, exploratory findings showed that only participants who responded antisocially after ostracism exhibited steeper decreases in nasal temperature during ostracism compared to inclusion. This pattern suggests greater physiological reactivity among antisocial responders, particularly in contrast to those who chose to withdraw. Future research should integrate thermal imaging with other physiological measures and strengthen ostracism manipulations to understand the relationship between thermal responses and different coping behaviors.
thermal infrared imaging, Ostracism/psychology, Coping Skills, Autonomic Nervous System/physiology, Video Games/psychology, Nose/physiology, Face/physiology, Skin Temperature/physiology, Young Adult, ostracism, coping behaviour, Psychological/physiology, Humans, coping behavior, Computer Simulation, Female, Original Article, Adaptation
thermal infrared imaging, Ostracism/psychology, Coping Skills, Autonomic Nervous System/physiology, Video Games/psychology, Nose/physiology, Face/physiology, Skin Temperature/physiology, Young Adult, ostracism, coping behaviour, Psychological/physiology, Humans, coping behavior, Computer Simulation, Female, Original Article, Adaptation
| selected citations These citations are derived from selected sources. This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | 0 | |
| popularity This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network. | Average | |
| influence This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | Average | |
| impulse This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network. | Average |
