PRESENTATION FOR DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY CONFERENCE

“In-Group Ostracism
Increases
High-Fidelity
Imitation in Early
Childhood”
A RESEARCH ARTICLE WRITTEN BY RACHEL E. WATSON-JONES,
HARVEY WHITEHOUSE, AND CHRISTINE H. LEGARE
Hypothesis
“Children use high-fidelity imitation* as a
reinclusion behavior as a result of being included or
excluded in in-group or out-group contexts.”

*: reproduction of an action with little to no

difference from the original
 OVERVIEW OF THE STUDY
“THE PROCEDURE”

TELL PARTICIPANTS
“CYBERBALL”: A VIRTUAL EXAMINE CHILD’S HAVE PARTICIPANTS
ABOUT THE GAME
BALL TOSSING GAME DISPLAYS RE-ENACT A
DEMONSTRATION

(EACH STEP OF THE PROCEDURE WILL BE EXPLAINED IN MORE DETAIL IN THE FOLLOWING SLIDES)
Preparing the Participants
● 176 YOUNG CHILDREN
● BETWEEN THE AGES 5 AND 6
● TOLD PARTICIPANTS:
○ THEY WOULD BE PLAYING A GAME WITH 3 OTHER PEOPLE IN OTHER ROOMS
■ NOTE: THERE ARE NOT ACTUALLY PEOPLE IN THE OTHER ROOMS PLAYING (THE PLAYERS ARE
GENERATED ON THE COMPUTER)
○ THERE WAS A “YELLOW GROUP” AND A “GREEN GROUP”
● ALL PARTICIPANTS WERE ACTUALLY ASSIGNED TO YELLOW GROUP BUT WERE NOT TOLD THIS
○ THIS ALLOWS ALL PARTICIPANTS TO BE UNDER THE SAME CONDITION
○ GREEN MEMBERS THEY PLAY AGAINST ARE JUST GENERATED ON THE COMPUTER
● IN-GROUP PARTICIPANTS WERE TOLD THEY WERE PLAYING WITH OTHER YELLOW GROUP MEMBERS
● OUT-GROUP PARTICIPANTS WERE TOLD THAT OTHER CHILDREN WERE IN THE GREEN GROUP
 “CYBERBALL”
THIS IS A VISUAL REPRESENTATION OF WHAT
WAS SHOWN ON THE CHILDREN’S SCREENS
WHEN PLAYING THE VIRTUAL TOSSING GAME:
CYBERBALL

In-Group Condition Out-Group Condition

(See next slide for explanation)

 Cyberball Conditions Explained:

IN-GROUP IN-GROUP OUT-GROUP OUT-GROUP

INCLUSION GROUP EXCLUSION GROUP INCLUSION GROUP EXCLUSION GROUP

● Told that the children ● Told that the children ● Told that the ● Told that the children
they were playing they were playing with children they were they were playing
with were also in the were also in the yellow playing with were in with were in the
yellow group group the green group green group

● Ball was tossed to the ● Only received three ● Ball was tossed to ● Only received three
participants ball tosses out of a the participants ball tosses out of a
repeatedly total of thirty (were repeatedly total of thirty (were
throughout the game not passed to a lot and throughout the not passed to a lot
(roughly 7-8 times) watched the other game (roughly 7-8 and watched the
children play) times) other children play)
Analyzing the children’s responses to ostracism

● Examined the children’s:

○ Facial expressions
○ Posture
○ Verbal displays

● This was to assess affective responses to

being excluded by ingroup (other yellow
players) versus outgroup members
(players on the opposing green team)
● Coded for signs of anxiety and
frustration
“IMITATIVE FIDELITY”
● AFTER THE GAME:
○ PARTICIPANTS WERE PRESENTED WITH A VIDEO OF AN ADULT WEARING YELLOW
OR GREEN PERFORMING A NOVEL SOCIAL-GROUP CONVENTION
■ THE COLOR OF THEIR SHIRT DEPENDED ON IF THE PARTICIPANT WAS IN THE
IN-GROUP OR OUT-GROUP CONDITION PREVIOUSLY IN THE GAME OF
CYBERBALL
○ CERTAIN OBJECTS WERE PLACED IN FRONT OF THE ADULTS AND THEY PERFORMED
SEVERAL ACTIONS INVOLVING TOUCHING THEIR FACE, MOVING THE BLOCKS, AND
OTHER SPECIFIC ACTIONS
○ THEY WERE TOLD “THIS IS HOW THE YELLOW/GREEN GROUP DOES IT” DEPENDING
ON THE SHIRT THE DEMONSTRATOR WAS WEARING
○ OBJECTS SEEN IN DEMONSTRATION WERE THEN PLACED IN FRONT OF THE
CHILDREN
○ THE CHILDREN WERE GIVEN A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME TO INTERACT WITH THE
OBJECTS
○ RESEARCHERS OBSERVED THE LEVEL TO WHICH THE CHILDREN IMITATED THE
ADULT’S ACTIONS
RESULTS Hypothesis proven to be
correct:
● Children who were excluded by in-group members
participated in higher-fidelity imitation (repeated
very similar actions) than those who were
included by their in-group (yellow team)
● Children who were excluded or included by their
out-group (green team) did not show a difference
in imitation levels
● Displays of anxiety within children that were
excluded by in-group members was significantly
higher than those ostracized by out-group
members
What does this tell us and how we can
expand on this information as
psychologists?
Children possibly use imitation of a social convention as a reinclusion
strategy and are sensitive to ostracism from in-group members

Some more research can be done to examine what mediates behavioral

responses after being excluded. It should also examine additional
considerations for that may moderate the level of imitation. For example,
would children still be equally likely to imitate a negative behavior under
the threat of being excluded by their own group?