ERIC Number: EJ1261673
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2020
Pages: 7
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0888-4080
EISSN: N/A
Social Exclusion Lowers Working Memory Capacity in Gay-Men but Not in Heterosexual-Men
Paolini, Daniele; Giacomantonio, Mauro; van Beest, Ilja; Baiocco, Roberto; Salvati, Marco
Applied Cognitive Psychology, v34 n3 p761-767 May-Jun 2020
Because sexual orientation is a crucial factor in social discrimination, this study assessed how the working memory capacity of gay-men and heterosexual-men is affected by a social exclusion event (N = 88). To manipulate the experience of social exclusion participants were included or excluded from a game of Cyberball. To assess working memory capacity, participants had to recall a series of letters while performing math problems in an automated version of the operation span task. The results of this small study, showed the sexual orientation of participants interacted with variations in belonging such that being ostracized (but not being included) lowered the working memory capacity of gay-men relative to heterosexual-men. Implications for research on belonging, social exclusion, and stereotype threat are discussed.
Descriptors: Homosexuality, Sexual Orientation, Social Bias, Social Discrimination, Males, Social Isolation, Short Term Memory, Recall (Psychology), Stereotypes
Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A