Does Future Social Exclusion have an Effect on State Authenticity?
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Wilson C.F. Thesis 2010.docx (190.9Kb)
Date
30/06/2010Item status
Restricted AccessAuthor
Wilson, Craig Frank
Metadata
Abstract
Previous research on social exclusion has found that it has many social and personal consequences, such as disrupting self-regulation, and lowering well-being, self-esteem and the need to belong. However, authenticity is a part of the self that has not been studied with respect to social exclusion. The present study aims to investigate whether state authenticity (authenticity that is affected by social environments) is affected by social exclusion, and whether these effects are mediated by trait authenticity, mood, situational self-awareness, or satisfying psychological needs. Participants filled out a personality questionnaire and were given feedback about a future consequence, either being told that they were accident prone, that they would have a future filled with belonging, or that they would end up alone. Following this feedback, participants were given a self-regulation task (a crossword puzzle) Upon completion (either by running out of the allotted time or giving up), participants filled out questionnaires on mood, situational self-awareness, satisfying psychological needs, and state authenticity. It was found that social exclusion had no effect on state authenticity. Self-regulation was affected by social exclusion, and those high in trait authenticity were higher in positive affect regardless of exclusion. No other effects were found. Therefore, self-regulation had no effect on state authenticity.