Envision yourself as a student in a classroom, where the instructor instructs everyone to create groups for an assignment. You remain seated, observing as your classmates pair off and pondering if anyone will select you.
This apprehension of being excluded — a common feeling among both youngsters and adults — can greatly influence children’s behavior within their social circles, according to recent studies conducted by the University of Georgia.
The research revealed that kids who experience anxiety over potential rejection are more inclined to meet academic standards, such as intensifying their study efforts or adhering to classroom norms. They are also less likely to engage in misconduct. Conversely, kids who habitually anticipate rejection usually resist adhering to both academic expectations and popular behaviors.
Rejection sensitivity encompasses two types of responses to the possibility of rejection: rejection expectancy, a cognitive predisposition to anticipate rejection, and anxious or hostile anticipation, the feelings experienced while dreading rejection.
“Rejection sensitivity is a deeply troubling trait in children,” stated Michele Lease, a faculty member in the Mary Frances Early College of Education’s educational psychology department and co-author of the study. “When kids are sensitive to rejection, they may become anxious and retreat or feel anger and react aggressively. In their attempts to fit in and avoid rejection, they might learn to conform, ingratiate themselves, or become less assertive. Additionally, rejection sensitivity is an excellent predictor of depression, often manifesting before other symptoms arise.”
The study, led by recent UGA graduate Cayenne Predix, involved over 350 students from fourth and fifth grades. Participants filled out surveys with scenarios designed to gauge their likelihood of emulating friends’ actions in three aspects: academics, trend-following, and misbehavior.
“During this developmental phase, what’s unfolding is that children are attempting to navigate their entire peer network, including their standing within their friend group, which is a distinctive moment for understanding their feelings about their role within the group,” explained Lease. “It’s not as if they lack solid friendships; they do — they engage in play and other activities, yet at this stage, one of their main endeavors is learning how to blend in.”
Interestingly, observing relational victimization, like gossip or bullying, did not consistently affect children’s conformity across different behaviors. Rather, the strongest indicators of whether they would adhere to group norms stemmed from the children’s emotional and cognitive responses to the prospect of rejection.
Specifically, anxious children exhibited a greater tendency to avoid disruptive behaviors and align with their peers’ positive academic habits, such as increased studying or classroom participation. In contrast, those who anticipated rejection were less inclined to conform academically or socially.
“In conclusion, the study’s outcomes highlight the importance of considering both the emotional and cognitive dimensions of rejection sensitivity in studies on conformity, particularly concerning relational aggression within friendship groups,” Lease stated.
Lease and her research team, which includes Mihyun Kim, a UGA doctoral student, and Kyongboon Kwon, a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, are pursuing further research to investigate how friendship group norms impact rejection sensitivity and conformity.
The article Fear of rejection influences how children conform to peers was originally published on UGA Today.