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Rejection Sensitivity and the Defensive Motivational System: Insights From the Startle Response to Rejection Cues
Abstract
Rejection sensitivity (RS) is the disposition to anxiously expect, readily perceive, and intensely react to rejection. This study used the startle probe paradigm to test whether the affect-based defensive motivational system is automatically activated by rejection cues in people who are high in RS. Stimuli were representational paintings depicting rejection (by Hopper) and acceptance (by Renoir), as well as nonrepresentational paintings of either negative or positive valence (by Rothko and Miro, respectively). Eyeblink startle magnitude was potentiated in people high in RS when they viewed rejection themes, compared with when they viewed nonrepresentational negative themes. Startle magnitude was not attenuated during viewing of acceptance themes in comparison with nonrepresentational positive themes. Overall, the results provide evidence that for people high in RS, rejection cues automatically activate the defensive motivational system, but acceptance cues do not automatically activate the appetitive motivational system.
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“Rejection sensitivity can also be explained as a state of a defensive motivational system (Downey, Mougios, Ayduk, London, & Shoda, 2004;Romero-Canyas et al., 2010).”
From Associations between rejection sensitivity and mental health outcomes: A meta-analytic review (2017) · cites this paper as Downey et al., 2004
In the citing paper
“Compared to individuals with low rejection sensitivity, individuals with high rejection sensitivity show heightened physiological activity (Downey et al., 2004)”
From Associations between rejection sensitivity and mental health outcomes: A meta-analytic review (2017) · cites this paper as Downey et al., 2004
In the citing paper
“When rejection is the threat, activation of the rejection sensitivity system prepares individuals to detect signs of social threat, and to be ready for immediate action in order to avert the danger by being self-defensive (Downey et al., 2004).”
From Associations between rejection sensitivity and mental health outcomes: A meta-analytic review (2017) · cites this paper as Downey et al., 2004
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“We have applied the term high-rejection-sensitive (HRS) to describe people who show a heightened tendency to anxiously expect, readily perceive, and intensely react to rejection ( Downey & Feldman, 1996 ).”
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Metadata
- Authors
- Downey, G., Mougios, V., Ayduk, O., London, B. E., & Shoda, Y.
- Affiliations
- Columbia University (US)
- Long Island University (US)
- University of California, Berkeley;
- University of Washington (US)
- Venue
- Psychological Science
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2004-10
- Volume
- 15
- Issue
- 10
- Pages
- 668-673
- ISSN
- 0956-7976 (ISSN-L)
- 1467-9280
- OpenAlex
- W2135060565
- Cited by
- 264
- References
- 26
- Citations by year
- 2026: 13 · 2025: 14 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 19 · 2020: 15 · 2019: 13 · 2018: 18 · 2017: 12 · 2016: 15 · 2015: 10 · 2014: 10 · 2013: 10 · 2012: 14
- FWCI
- 8.34
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Psychological Science (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health (1r29mh051113-01)
- National Institute of Mental Health (MH 51113, MH39349)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Death Anxiety and Social Exclusion
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Bullying, Victimization, and Aggression
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
- Keywords
- rejection sensitivity, startle response, automatic activation, affective motivation, fear of rejection
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Cues, Defense Mechanisms, Humans, Motivation, Pilot Projects, Surveys and Questionnaires, Rejection, Psychology, Reflex, Startle
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