ABSTRACT
The desire to form and sustain meaningful social connections is an indelible feature of the human psyche. Social rejection represents an acute threat to relational bonds, leading those who are rejected to experience low self-esteem, hurt, anxiety, and a host of other negative emotions (e.g., Baumeister & Leary, 1995; Bowlby, 1969, 1982, 1973; Leary, 1990; Leary, Koch, & Hechenbleikner, 2001). Several theorists have argued that these negative emotions serve as warning signals of low relational value, which in turn motivate rejected people to behave in ways that obviate the potential for future rejection and increase the likelihood of acceptance (Baumeister & Tice, 1990; Leary, 2004; Williams, 2001). Proximity-seeking and relationship-enhancing behaviors allow rejected people to replenish a sense of belongingness within social groups and affirm their desirability to others.
