Moving On Gracefully: Navigating a New Relationship After Romantic Rejection

Previous research has shown inconsistent findings on individuals’ behavior towards new others after rejection. The present study aimed to examine individuals’ behavior toward a new dating partner following romantic rejection. Participants were randomly assigned to either romantic rejection or control condition. Then they completed a Tangram Help/Hurt Task with a new dating partner with high or low possibility of acceptance (PA). Results revealed that individuals expressed significant prosocial behavior toward their new dating partner following romantic rejection, rather than displaying aggressive behavior. Furthermore, rejectees displayed more prosocial behavior toward a new dating partner with high PA than those with low PA. These findings support the social reconnection hypothesis in a romantic context and provide insight into initiating new romantic relationships.