The Social Outcast: Ostracism, Social Exclusion, Rejection, and Bullying

by Kipling D. Williams (Editor), Joseph P. Forgas (Editor), William Von Hippel (Editor)

This book focuses on the ubiquitous and powerful effects of ostracism, social exclusion, rejection, and bullying. Human beings are an intrinsically gregarious species. Most of our evolutionary success is no doubt due to our highly developed ability to cooperate and interact with each other. It is thus not surprising that instances of interpersonal rejection and social exclusion would have an enormously detrimental impact on the individual. Until 10 years ago, however, social psychology regarded ostracism, rejection and social exclusion as merely outcomes to be avoided, but we knew very little about their antecedents and consequences, and about the processes involved when they occurred. Furthermore, the literatures of ostracism, social exclusion and rejection have not until now included discussions of the bullying literature.

Genres: Psychology, Nonfiction, Science

392 pages, Hardcover

First published June 17, 2005

Reviews

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was informative and gave me some perspective as to what the person doing the shunning hopes to achieve. Having been on the receiving end of what fondly call the family Fatwah, for many years with no explanation, it is comforting to know that it is an actual psychological tool for bullying. Consider me bullied. There is no way to get back. This book has helped me to realize just how powerful a bully can be, especially when it is family. As I go back in the family genealogy I find more relatives who have done much the same. It takes so much energy to engage entire groups of people to engage in shunning. It is extremely painful and according to this book not much will change. It is sad but at least I can understand better the why of it and its underlying motivations. It is related to some thing else I have learned about people having a narcissistic wound. So we will remain edified on the etiology of shunning but not comforted that there will ever be a resolution.

[tatiana · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s really good and interesting! But it is a collection of related studies so there is a lot of retreading (study methodology that is repeated throughout or similar introduction), which I was not expecting. Enjoyable read !

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this was a really interesting and informative book about the impact of rejection and exclusion on individuals and society. It was very thorough in explaining the various behavioral issues that arise in response to ostracism, rejection, bullying, and exclusion, and I was very interested in its discussion of how gender and culture can sometimes inform one's actions and behavior in face of a potentially traumatizing experience. Additionally, I think people outside the field of psychology (such as myself) can learn a lot from this book and gain significant insight into groups, organizations and how they intentionally- and sometimes unintentionally- marginalize or reject others. What it says about the necessity to feel a sense of belonging and connectedness to others is particularly evocative for me.

That said, the book tends to be quite repetitive (often explaining the same psychological experiment over and over again, for instance) and could use some more editing.

[Leonard · Rating 5 out of 5]

An informative book by Williams who has done lots of research on the nature of ostracism, rejection, and related behaviors that may seem not too significant but actually have an enormously harmful impact on others. I read this book a few years ago and am now simply re-reading a small part of it.