Visible versus non-visible rejection: Consequences of appearance-based rejection sensitivity

Individuals with high Appearance-based Rejection Sensitivity (Appearance-RS) anxiously expect, readily perceive, and overreact to rejection based on their physical appearance. In the present research, we hypothesized that high Appearance-RS individuals would show heightened emotional, cognitive, and motivational responses to an ambiguous experience of rejection, but only when their appearance was visible to others. Consistent with predictions, high Appearance-RS participants reported more negative affect and interpreted ambiguous appearance commentary (but not general commentary) more negatively following ambiguous rejection in a visible versus non-visible situation. Findings remained even after controlling for sex, self-esteem, and general rejection sensitivity. Appearance-RS did not differentially predict desire for future social interaction as a function of visible versus non-visible rejection. Implications for motivation and well-being are discussed.