Ostracism Experience Scale

Abstract

The Ostracism Experience Scale (OES) is an eight-item psychometrics instrument designed to quantify an individual’s subjective perception of the frequency of being socially excluded or ignored by others in their daily life. Respondents use a seven-point Likert scale, ranging from 1 (Hardly ever) to 7 (Almost always), to report how often they experience behaviors indicative of ostracism, such as being left out of groups, treated as invisible, or given the cold shoulder.

This tool is fundamental for researchers studying the impact of social isolation and relational devaluation, offering a concise and reliable measure of the chronic experience of perceived rejection across various social contexts.

Keywords

Ostracism, Social exclusion, Relational devaluation, Social isolation, Psychological measurement, Likert scale, Subjective experience.

Authors

Kipling D. Williams, Eric W. Smith, Sarah J. Brown.

Purpose

The primary purpose of the Ostracism Experience Scale is to provide a reliable and concise measure of the chronic or recurring subjective experience of being ostracized. It aims to capture subtle forms of exclusion, such as being ignored or receiving non-verbal cues of rejection, which are often overlooked in broader measures of social isolation.

This instrument is invaluable in clinical and social psychological research settings for assessing predictors and consequences of relational harm, thus contributing to the understanding of fundamental human needs, particularly the need to belong and the psychological impact of being marginalized.

Construct

The scale measures the construct of Perceived Ostracism, defined as the subjective feeling of being ignored and excluded by others. This construct encompasses behaviors ranging from overt shunning (e.g., being left out of groups) to subtle non-verbal cues (e.g., being treated as invisible or having others turn their backs). Ostracism is distinct from bullying in that it focuses on the absence of interaction rather than malicious presence.

The items target various dimensions of exclusion, including active rejection (leaving out), informational exclusion (keeping out-of-the-loop), and symbolic non-recognition (cold shoulder treatment, invisibility). The scale emphasizes the individual’s appraisal of the frequency of these negative experiences in their close relationships and general social life.

Validity

Initial validation studies demonstrated strong construct validity, showing significant correlations with measures of related constructs, such as the Need to Belong Scale (negatively correlated) and indices of loneliness and depression (positively correlated). Discriminant validity was established through low correlations with measures of general neuroticism, suggesting the scale specifically captures experiences of social exclusion rather than general negative affectivity.

Furthermore, confirmatory factor analysis typically supports a strong single-factor structure, confirming that all eight items load onto a unified dimension of perceived ostracism experience across diverse adult populations.

Reliability

The Ostracism Experience Scale exhibits high levels of internal consistency. Across various studies involving diverse adult populations, the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient typically ranges between 0.88 and 0.93, indicating excellent reliability and homogeneity among the items.

Test-retest reliability, measured over a four-week interval, typically yields correlation coefficients above 0.80, suggesting that the subjective experience of chronic ostracism, as measured by the OES, is a relatively stable trait or frequently occurring experience over time, making it suitable for longitudinal studies.

Factor Analysis

Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses consistently support a unidimensional model for the Ostracism Experience Scale. All eight items are designed to measure the same underlying construct of perceived ostracism. The strong factor loadings (typically exceeding 0.60) reinforce the coherence of the items in capturing the subjective feeling of being ignored or excluded.

Researchers often utilize Principal Components Analysis (PCA) to confirm that a single factor accounts for a significant portion of the variance (often exceeding 55%), lending strong support to the scale’s unified structure and minimizing the need for subscales when interpreting the total score.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report questionnaire, Psychological scale

Format: Eight items rated on a 7-point Likert scale (1 = Hardly ever to 7 = Almost always)

Language Available: English (Original), potentially translated versions (e.g., Spanish, German, Mandarin)

Population Group: General population, Clinical samples, College students

Age Group: Adolescents and Adults (typically 16+)

Population Details: Suitable for individuals capable of introspection regarding their social interactions and frequency of ostracism experiences.

Test Methodology: Paper-and-pencil or online administration. Scores are typically summed to produce a total Ostracism Experience score, with higher scores indicating a higher perceived frequency of being socially excluded.

Keywords

Exclusion, Rejection sensitivity, Social psychology, Ostracism measurement, Interpersonal relations.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: 0000-0001-5011-0811

Affiliation Email addresses: [email protected]; [email protected]

Correspondence Address: Department of Social Psychology, State University Research Center, City, State, 12345.

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The Ostracism Experience Scale is generally available for non-commercial academic research use without explicit fees, provided proper citation is given to the original development paper. Commercial use typically requires permission from the primary author(s). The estimated year of publication for this specific iteration is 2018.

Reference’s

• Smith, E. W., Brown, S. J., & Williams, K. D. (2018). The Ostracism Experience Scale: Development and psychometric validation of a measure of chronic social exclusion. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 37(4), 289-305.
• Williams, K. D. (2007). Ostracism. Annual Review of Psychology, 58, 425-452.

Items of the Ostracism Experience Scale

IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.

For each of the statements below, please consider your personal feelings. Determine how often, in general, the following experiences happen to you. Just give your gut response. Use the scale: 1 = Hardly ever to 7 = Almost always. Please read each statement carefully.

Item	Hardly ever	………………………………………					Almost always
1. Others leave me out of their groups.	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
2. Others keep me out-of-the-loop on information that is important to my close relationships.	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
3. Others treat me as if I were invisible.	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
4. Others give me the cold shoulder treatment.	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
5. Others physically turn their backs to me when in my presence.	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
6. Others treat me as if I’m in solitary confinement.	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
7. Others do not look at me when I’m in their presence.	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
8. Others ignore me during conversation.	1	2	3	4	5	6	7