Young, unemployed, excluded: Unemployed young adults report more ostracism

Abstract

Ostracism—being excluded and ignored—is commonly investigated in experimental settings, leaving specific societal risk groups greatly unexplored. Here, we examined whether individuals’ employment status and age affect ostracism frequency and outsider feelings. Using panel data from two countries, we find that especially younger unemployed (vs. younger employed or older unemployed) adults report experiencing ostracism more frequently (SOEP-IS; N = 1,750) and feeling more like outsiders (NZAVS; N ∼ 30,000 per wave). A subsequent survey study (N = 331) additionally tested three possible mediators for why younger (vs. older) unemployed individuals are more at risk of experiencing ostracism (occupational future time perspective [FTP], descriptive work norms, and work centrality). Moreover, unemployment stigma consciousness—expected stigmatisation—positively correlates with ostracism frequency and outsider feelings. The findings identify unemployed individuals as one at-risk group for experiencing ostracism and make a first informative step in minimising ostracism experiences and their consequences for those affected.