Effects of Social Exclusion in The Context of Chronic Embitterment (EMBEX)

Effects of Social Exclusion in The Context of Chronic Embitterment: How Social Exclusion Experiences Affect Chronic Embittered People in Their Behaviour and Physiology

This experimental, anonymous labor study aims to examine how experiences of social exclusion influence individuals in their fairness-behaviour, psychophysical reactions, and emotion regulation depending on their extent of bitterness. Points given for fairness reasons, just world belief, rejection sensitivity, well-being, cognitive emotion regulation strategies, and heart rate variability (HRV) are measured and analyzed using structural equation modeling and multiple regression.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Emotional Stress; Embitterment
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Cyberball: Other Exclusion; Other: Mindfulness: Emotion Regulation Task; Other: Mindfulness: Word Recognition Task; Other: Cyberball: Player Exclusion

Detailed Description

Embitterment is defined as an emotional response due to an event which is subjectively perceived as unjust. Nonetheless, there is little empiric evidence of unjust behaviour by others in the interpersonal context that triggers embitterment reactions. Ostracism, is an act where a person is excluded from a social environment without any reasons. This experimental labor study examines how the experiences of this form of social exclusion influences individuals depending on their self-evaluated embitterment. That is, fairness-behaviour is assessed as well as changes in hearth rate variability.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 69
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Switzerland
  • BE
    • Bern, BE, Switzerland, 3012
      • University of Bern, Institute of Psychology

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• German language, 18 years old, no cardiovascular disease
• The participation in the anonymous labor study is voluntary, participants gave consent to use the data with their participation.

Exclusion Criteria:

• None

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Sequential Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Cyberball: Other Exclusion; Cyberball Paradigm - the avatar will be excluded by the player	Other: Cyberball: Other Exclusion; A cyberball paradigm, whereas 2 avatars and the subject are playing a virtual ball tossing game. In this condition, one of the avatars is excluded.; Other Names: In terms of outcome measure 'points for fairness': intervention condition; In terms of outcome measure 'changes in HRV': control condition; Other: Mindfulness: Emotion Regulation Task; In this task, subjects listen to an audio file containing a scripted emotion regulation exercise. This exercise is based by the authors Nissen & Sturm (2018). It takes around 14 minutes to complete the whole task.; Other Names: Intervention Condition; Other: Mindfulness: Word Recognition Task; In this task, subjects listen to an audio file containing a scripted word recognition exercise. It contains both contrary words recognition (e.g. "The opposite of loud is ...") and completion of german sayings (e.g. "That's where the dog is..."). It takes around 14 minutes to complete the whole task.; Other Names: Control Condition
Experimental: Cyberball: Player Exclusion; Cyberball Paradigm - the player will be excluded by the other players	Other: Mindfulness: Emotion Regulation Task; In this task, subjects listen to an audio file containing a scripted emotion regulation exercise. This exercise is based by the authors Nissen & Sturm (2018). It takes around 14 minutes to complete the whole task.; Other Names: Intervention Condition; Other: Mindfulness: Word Recognition Task; In this task, subjects listen to an audio file containing a scripted word recognition exercise. It contains both contrary words recognition (e.g. "The opposite of loud is ...") and completion of german sayings (e.g. "That's where the dog is..."). It takes around 14 minutes to complete the whole task.; Other Names: Control Condition; Other: Cyberball: Player Exclusion; A cyberball paradigm, whereas 2 avatars and the subject are playing a virtual ball tossing game. In this condition, the subject is excluded by the avatars.; Other Names: In terms of outcome measure 'points for fairness': control condition; In terms of outcome measure 'changes in HRV': intervention condition

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Points for Fairness	Asked after the second Cyberball game session. Each participant will be asked, how many of their "earned" points (from the first Cyberball round) they are willing to compensate for fairness reasons towards the group. This is assessed by a Likert scale ranging from 0 - 14; giving zero points it the least one can give, 14 is the maximum.	After the second Cyberball intervention (exclusion of the subject or the avatar), at approx. 30 minutes from baseline.
Changes in Heart Rate Variability (HRV; RMSSD) from baseline (t0)	Changes in Heart Rate Variability (RMSSDs) are assessed using the hardware of BIOPAC Systems. The extraction and analysis of the RMSSDs are performed with Kubios HRV premium (software).	After approx. 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, and 50 minutes from baseline.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Belief in a Just World	Belief in a Just World is assessed using the german version of the "Beliefs in a just world questionnaire" (Dalbert, Montada, & Schmitt, 1987). It contains six items, ranging from 1-6, whereas lower numbers indicate a lower belief in a just/rightful world and vice versa.	Baseline questionnaires at the beginning of the experiment.
Rejection Sensitivity	Rejection Sensitivity is assessed using the german version of the "Rejection Sensitivity Questionnaire" (Feldman & Downey, 1994) - based on 18 items describe interpersonal interactions, where the subject has to ask someone to do something for him or her, further how much distress these interactions would provoke and the other person would decline the request. Each item can be answered on a Likert-Scale from 1-6, whereas lower numbers indicate less personal distress and expected rejection by the interacting person when being in that particular scenario. Higher Numbers indicate more distress from the scenario as well as the more is a rejection expected.	Baseline questionnaires at the beginning of the experiment.
Cognitive Emotion Regulation (Strategies) - Basic	Emotion Regulation are assessed using the german version of the "Emotion Regulation Questionnaire" (ERQ; Gross & John, 2003; Abler & Kessler, 2011). This questionnaire assesses basic tendencies of the two strategies "reappraisal" and/or "Suppression" with regards to emotion regulation. It has 10 items which can be answered based on a Likert-Scale ranging from 1 - 7. The higher the number the more the person tends to use this particular strategy and vice versa.	Baseline questionnaires at the beginning of the experiment.
Cognitive Emotion Regulation (Strategies) - Specific	Specific Cognitive Emotion Regulation Strategies are assessed using the german version of the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ; Garnefski, Kraaij & Spinhoven, 2001). This questionnaire assesses nine dimensions of cognitive coping styles (e.g. "other-blame") in response to distress. It contains 36 items which can be answered on a Likert-Scale ranging from "(almost) never" (0) to "(almost) every time" (4). Higher number indicate the higher the tendency of usage of the specific strategy and vice versa.	Baseline questionnaires at the beginning of the experiment.
Mindfulness Experiences	Mindfulness Experiences is assessed using the Comprehensive Mindfulness Scale (CHIME; Bergomi, Tschacher, & Kupper, 2014). It assesses different aspects of mindfulness experiences in daily life based on 37 items, ranging from 0 - 5. Higher number indicate the higher the awareness towards the particular experience and vice versa.	Baseline questionnaires at the beginning of the experiment.
Change from baseline in subject's well-being - overall	Overall subjective well-being is assessed by asking the participant five times "How do you feel right now?" The subject can answer by the use of a bipolar scale (-2 "very bad", 0 "neutral", +2 "very good").	After 15, 20, 30, 45, and 50 minutes from baseline.
Change from baseline in subject's well-being - specific	Specific subjective well-being is assessed the "Mehrdimensionale Befindlichkeitsfragebogen" (MDBF; Steyer, Notz, Schwenkmezger, & Michael Eid, 1997). This questionnaire contains 24 items and measures on three bipolar dimensions (mood, vigilance, and distress) present mental state. Answers can be made on a Likert-Scale ranging from "absolutely not" (-2) till "very much" (+2). The lower the number the worse the mood, or the weariness, or the distress, depending on the dimension, and vice versa.	After the mindfulness task (50 minutes) from baseline

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Bern
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Dennis Koroma, M.Sc., University of Bern, Department of Psychology

Publications and helpful links

Helpful Links

• Related Info

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): December 20, 2019
• Primary Completion (Actual): June 30, 2020
• Study Completion (Actual): December 31, 2021

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: December 20, 2019
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 14, 2020
• First Posted (Actual): April 17, 2020

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 30, 2023
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 27, 2023
• Last Verified: March 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: EMBEX

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No