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<p>Experiencing rejection on social media (e.g., dislikes on posts) from a political outgroup may contribute to political polarization by increasing anger and threatening psychological needs. U.S. college students (<i>N</i> = 148, age <i>M</i> = 19.47; 51.1% liberal identifying, 67.9% women) were randomly assigned to be rejected or included from a political outgroup on Ostracism Online, a social media exclusion/rejection program. Rejected participants reported higher anger, threatened psychological needs, and more polarization (decreased interest in outgroup affiliation and increased outgroup antisocial inclinations). Furthermore, rejection increased antisocial inclinations mediated by increased anger. Conservatives and liberals had different patterns of attitudinal polarization. Our findings demonstrate that Ostracism Online is a useful tool for exploring political rejection on social media and that political rejection on social media impacts college-aged users’ polarization. Results have implications for the role of social media in political polarization in the US and illustrate that conservatives and liberals may respond differently to rejection.</p>

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I don’t “like” your politics: An experimental investigation of social media rejection’s impact on political polarization

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年3月5日

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  • Katarina E. AuBuchon,
  • Taylor-Jo Russo,
  • Michelle L. Stock

摘要

Experiencing rejection on social media (e.g., dislikes on posts) from a political outgroup may contribute to political polarization by increasing anger and threatening psychological needs. U.S. college students (N = 148, age M = 19.47; 51.1% liberal identifying, 67.9% women) were randomly assigned to be rejected or included from a political outgroup on Ostracism Online, a social media exclusion/rejection program. Rejected participants reported higher anger, threatened psychological needs, and more polarization (decreased interest in outgroup affiliation and increased outgroup antisocial inclinations). Furthermore, rejection increased antisocial inclinations mediated by increased anger. Conservatives and liberals had different patterns of attitudinal polarization. Our findings demonstrate that Ostracism Online is a useful tool for exploring political rejection on social media and that political rejection on social media impacts college-aged users’ polarization. Results have implications for the role of social media in political polarization in the US and illustrate that conservatives and liberals may respond differently to rejection.