Graduation Year

2022

Document Type

Thesis

Degree

M.A.

Degree Name

Master of Arts (M.A.)

Degree Granting Department

Psychology

Major Professor

Fallon R. Goodman, Ph.D.

Co-Major Professor

Peter E. Clayson, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Jonathan A. Rottenberg, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Joseph Vandello, Ph.D.

Keywords

Daily Diary, Emotional Impact, Social Anxiety, Social Motivation

Abstract

Rejection is a detrimental experience that directly threatens people’s fundamental need for social acceptance and connection. Rejection is particularly distressing for people with elevated social anxiety, as it is their core fear. Yet, very few studies have examined the impact of daily rejection in the context of social anxiety. The present research examined the socioemotional effects of daily feelings of rejection in the context of social anxiety across two experience-sampling studies. Study 1 was a 2-week daily diary study with community adults and Study 2 was a 4-week ecological momentary assessment (EMA) study with a clinical sample of adults with and without social anxiety disorder (SAD). In both studies, elevated social anxiety was linked with feeling more rejected. In both studies, feeling more rejected was linked to higher intensity negative emotions and a greater desire to be alone. Interestingly, relationships between participants’ rejection feelings and their emotional well-being and social motivation did not vary based on their level of social anxiety symptoms. Taken together, results suggest that daily rejection experiences are associated with worse emotional well-being and impaired social functioning.

Download

Share

COinS