Response to unexpected social inclusion: A study using the cyberball paradigm

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Clinical Psychology
• Cognitive Science

Background:

• Dysfunctional expectations, particularly in social interactions, are a hallmark of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD).
• Focusing on these social expectations in psychotherapy is crucial for effective treatment.
• This study investigates how unexpected positive social experiences impact these expectations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the effect of unexpected social inclusion on the modification of generalized and specific social expectations.
• To determine if depressive symptoms influence the change in social expectations following positive social experiences.

Main Methods:

• An online study using the Cyberball game with 144 non-clinical participants.
• Participants experienced social exclusion followed by either exclusion or unexpected inclusion.
• Self-reported depressive symptoms and social expectations were assessed before and after the Cyberball rounds.

Main Results:

• Unexpected social inclusion led to an increase in both specific and generalized social expectations.
• While depressive symptoms correlated with lower social expectations, they did not moderate the positive changes after inclusion.

Conclusions:

• Social expectations can be experimentally manipulated, demonstrating that negative expectations can be updated by positive experiences.
• These findings suggest that even in the presence of depressive symptoms, individuals can modify negative social expectations through positive social interactions.
• The results support the integration of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) strategies targeting social expectations in Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) treatment.