Who Would Do That? A Theory-Based Analysis of Narratives of Sources of Family Ostracism

• Published in: The Journal of social psychology 2015-09, Vol.155 (5), p.452-470
• Main Authors: Poulsen, Joan R., Carmon, Anna F.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; exclusion; Families & family life; family; Family Relations - psychology; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Ostracism; Resistance (Psychology); Social control; Social Isolation; Social psychology; sources of ostracism; Theory; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0022-4545; 1940-1183
• DOI: 10.1080/00224545.2015.1064347

There are many benefits derived from families, but not all family members are loving and accepting. Family members may act as sources of ostracism (people or groups who ostracize another person/group). We suggest sources engage in family ostracism for extended periods, their motives fit with prior theoretical models, and trait-level forgiveness may help understand source behavior. We analyzed data from 63 narratives and questionnaires to investigate the motives, power dynamics, and psychological correlates of sources of family ostracism. We found sources of ostracism are often of equal status to the targets of ostracism, and termination often occurs informally or is prompted by major changes in the family (e.g., birth, move). Also, sources of ostracism are often targets themselves suggesting family ostracism may be reciprocal in nature. Our findings support existing theory, but suggest ostracism in families has unique dynamics not captured in laboratory designs.