Black young adults (aged 18-30; N = 92) were racially included (i.e., received the ball an equal number of times) or excluded (i.e., received the ball only once) by other White players in a ball-tossing computer game called Cyberball; White experimenters acknowledged the exclusion for half of the excluded participants. Participants completed a cold-pressor task twice to measure pain sensitivity (threshold, tolerance, and unpleasantness): immediately prior, and after the Cyberball (and acknowledgment) manipulation. Participants also completed a post-manipulation survey examining the psychological effects of racial exclusion and acknowledgment (i.e., psychological needs satisfaction, negative affect, control).
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
92
The experimenter said "That is so messed up that they excluded you in the task. And honestly, I would say it was racist…" acknowledgment of the participants experience, "…this shouldn't have happened, and I'm really sorry it did…" an apology, and "…I'm going to talk to the primary investigators of the study to figure out how we can make sure that this won't happen to other people" a plan of action.
The George Washington University
Washington D.C., District of Columbia, United States
Pain Threshold measured with a cold pressor task
Time (in seconds) from the participant places their hand in cold water, to telling the experimenter they are experiencing pain.
Time frame: Measured immediately after the manipulation (within minutes).
Pain Tolerance
Time (in seconds) from the participant places their hand in cold water, to when they remove their hand from the water.
Time frame: Measured immediately after the manipulation (within minutes).
Pain unpleasantness
Measured with a the McGill-Pain Questionnaire Short Form, the degree of unpleasantness the participant reports from the pain.
Time frame: Measured immediately after the manipulation (within minutes).
Psychological Needs Satisfaction; Self Control subscale
Needs-Satisfaction Scale (Zadro et al., 2004)
Time frame: Measured immediately after the manipulation (within minutes).
Psychological Needs Satisfaction; Belongingness subscale
Needs-Satisfaction Scale (Zadro et al., 2004)
Time frame: Measured immediately after the manipulation (within minutes).
Psychological Needs Satisfaction; Meaningful Existence subscale
Needs-Satisfaction Scale (Zadro et al., 2004)
Time frame: Measured immediately after the manipulation (within minutes).
Psychological Needs Satisfaction; Self esteem subscale
Needs-Satisfaction Scale (Zadro et al., 2004)
Time frame: Measured immediately after the manipulation (within minutes).
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