Take Me Out of the Loop

Three studies examined whether people feel better when self-excluding from group conversations about negative, rather than positive, information and whether people feel worse when included in group conversations about negative, rather than positive, information. Participants ( N = 665) completed a retrospective recall (Study 1) and imagined scenarios (Studies 2 and 3). Participants generally reported feeling worse when they were included in groups discussing negative, rather than positive, information. They also reported feeling better when they self-excluded from groups discussing negative, rather than positive, information, particularly negative gossip. Negative gossip also led participants to have a high desire to self-exclude from the group, and this was mediated by mood. These findings suggest there are certain circumstances where people prefer to self-exclude from groups.