Abstract
Silent treatment represents a subtle yet harmful form of ostracism, oftenaccompanied by emotional distress and ambiguity regarding the reasons forexclusion. This research investigated the emotional responses of individualsexposed to silent treatment, with a particular focus on the role of guilt. Study1 involved participants recalling episodes of silent treatment and neglect,allowing for a comparison of the emotions elicited in these relational con-texts. Results indicated that guilt, sadness, and fear were more pronouncedduring silent treatment, while the source was perceived as expressinggreater anger and disgust. Study 2 employed an experimental design toexplore the specific nature of guilt, distinguishing between altruistic anddeontological guilt. Findings revealed that silent treatment is associated withheightened deontological guilt, which is linked to violations of moral normsand uncertainty. These studies provide a contribution to the understandingof silent treatment and its implications for relational and emotional well-being.
Links
- https://apc.it/2026-mancini-emotional-reactions-following-silent-treatment/
- doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/00224545.2026.2679679
BibTeX (Download)
@article{Scarci2026,
title = {Emotional Reactions Following Silent Treatment:The Role of Guilt},
author = {Federica Scarci and Katia Tenore and Francesco Mancini and Mauro Giacomantonio},
editor = {Routledge Taylor & Francis Group},
url = {https://apc.it/2026-mancini-emotional-reactions-following-silent-treatment/},
doi = {https://doi.org/10.1080/00224545.2026.2679679},
year = {2026},
date = {2026-06-04},
urldate = {2026-06-04},
journal = {The Journal of Social Psychology},
pages = {1-16},
abstract = {Silent treatment represents a subtle yet harmful form of ostracism, oftenaccompanied by emotional distress and ambiguity regarding the reasons forexclusion. This research investigated the emotional responses of individualsexposed to silent treatment, with a particular focus on the role of guilt. Study1 involved participants recalling episodes of silent treatment and neglect,allowing for a comparison of the emotions elicited in these relational con-texts. Results indicated that guilt, sadness, and fear were more pronouncedduring silent treatment, while the source was perceived as expressinggreater anger and disgust. Study 2 employed an experimental design toexplore the specific nature of guilt, distinguishing between altruistic anddeontological guilt. Findings revealed that silent treatment is associated withheightened deontological guilt, which is linked to violations of moral normsand uncertainty. These studies provide a contribution to the understandingof silent treatment and its implications for relational and emotional well-being.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
