This study investigated whether emotional reactions and regulation to social exclusion differ between individualistic and collectivistic cultures. White and East Asian college students viewed social exclusion pictures depicting same-race or other-race characters under no-reappraisal and reappraisal conditions. Both groups showed greater negative emotion and stronger emotion regulation effects for same-race exclusion ("own-race bias"). White participants demonstrated superior emotion regulation compared to East Asian participants. Findings highlight the impact of culture on emotional responses to and regulation of social exclusion, informing culturally sensitive interventions.

Zhenhong He, Nils Muhlert, Rebecca Elliott