Social Exclusion, Loneliness, and State Body Image: Evidence from the Cyberball Paradigm

Loneliness and body image dissatisfaction are increasingly prevalent among young adults, and prior research has demonstrated a significant association between the two. However, experimental evidence clarifying this relationship remains limited. The present study examined whether social exclusion was sufficient to both induce feelings of loneliness and decrease body image satisfaction. After completing baseline assessments of state loneliness (assessed by a single item state loneliness sliding scale) and state body image (assessed by the Body Image States Scale, BISS), N=292 online participants were randomly assigned to either an inclusion or exclusion condition of the Cyberball paradigm. Post-manipulation assessments of loneliness and body image were collected. Reports of post-manipulation state loneliness (interaction, p < .01) and body image (interaction, p < .01) differed as a function of experimental condition. Excluded participants reported greater state loneliness (p < .05) in conjunction with poorer body image satisfaction (p < .04) post-manipulation. Interestingly, social inclusion decreased momentary feelings of loneliness (p < .03) and improved body image satisfaction (p < .02) in the moment. These findings show that social belonging may play an important role in body image perceptions. Understanding loneliness as a key contributor to body image dissatisfaction highlights social connection as a potential target within models of eating disorder risk.