Information processing of social exclusion: Links with bullying, moral disengagement and guilt

Angela Mazzone,Takuya Yanagida,Marina Camodeca,Dagmar Strohmeier

doi:10.1016/j.appdev.2021.101292

Abstract

The Social Information Processing (SIP) theory and the Social Cognitive Theory of Moral Agency were integrated to investigate the associations between SIP and bullying, guilt, and moral disengagement. Participants were 341 children and early adolescents (Mage = 11.14). Two social exclusion vignettes were administered to assess three SIP steps (step 2: Attribution of hostile intent; step 3: Selection of antisocial goals, and step 4: Generation of aggressive responses). Guilt was assessed through five vignettes. A self-report measure was used to assess moral disengagement and peer nominations were used to assess bullying perpetration. Moderated mediation analyses were performed to test the hypotheses. Findings indicated that attribution of hostile intent was associated with selection of antisocial goals, which in turn, was associated with the generation of aggressive responses among participants with high levels of bullying and low levels of guilt and moral disengagement. Results are discussed in terms of their theoretical and practical relevance.

Highlights

The Social Information Processing (SIP) theory and the Social Cognitive Theory of Moral Agency were integrated to investigate the associations between SIP and bullying, guilt, and moral disengagement
The current study proposes that an integrative model combining the SIP model with moral disengagement may provide new insights into the nature of social information processing
Attribution of hostile intent positively correlated with selection of antisocial goals, which in turn was positively correlated with generation of aggressive responses

Summary

Introduction

The Social Information Processing (SIP) theory and the Social Cognitive Theory of Moral Agency were integrated to investigate the associations between SIP and bullying, guilt, and moral disengagement. Findings indicated that attribution of hostile intent was associated with selection of antisocial goals, which in turn, was associated with the generation of aggressive responses among participants with high levels of bullying and low levels of guilt and moral disengagement. Findings in previous literature are mixed, as some research studies outlined that children showing bullying behaviour interpret others’ intentions as hostile, aim to take revenge, select aggressive responses, and evaluate aggression as an effective solution (Camodeca & Goossens, 2005; Godleski & Ostrov, 2010). Children and adolescents enacting bullying behaviour strive for dominance and power (Reijntjes et al, 2013), which could facilitate the selection of antisocial goals and the generation of aggressive responses when they are confronted with ambiguous experiences of exclusion (Godleski & Ostrov, 2010). In the face of provocative social situations, aggressive

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