Social exclusion affects working memory performance in young adolescent girls

Area of Science:

• Developmental Psychology
• Neuroscience
• Social Cognition

Background:

• Adolescence is a sensitive period for social development, where social experiences significantly influence brain and behavior.
• Negative social experiences like exclusion may disproportionately affect psychological well-being during adolescence.
• Limited research exists on how social exclusion impacts cognitive functions in adolescents.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the effects of social exclusion on cognitive performance between adolescents and adults.
• To investigate age-related differences in responses to social exclusion.
• To examine the impact of virtual social exclusion on mood and working memory.

Main Methods:

• A virtual ball-tossing game was used to simulate social exclusion and inclusion scenarios.
• Ninety-eight female participants were divided into three age groups: young adolescents (10.1–14.0), mid-adolescents (14.3–17.9), and adults (18.3–38.1).
• Mood and working memory (verbal and visuo-spatial) were assessed before and after the social exclusion/inclusion manipulation.

Main Results:

• All age groups reported decreased mood following social exclusion compared to inclusion.
• Young adolescents demonstrated reduced verbal working memory accuracy after social exclusion.
• No significant effects of social exclusion on visuo-spatial working memory were observed across any age group.

Conclusions:

• Virtual social exclusion can impair verbal working memory accuracy in young adolescent girls.
• These findings underscore the critical role of the social environment during adolescence.
• Age differences in responses to social exclusion necessitate tailored interventions in educational settings.