The Psychological Impact of Ostracism and the Silent Treatment and their Application to the Psalms

This study applies psychological research on the effects of ostracism and the silent treatment to interpret the psalms of lament—drawing especially on the work of the psychologist Kipling D. Williams. Studies show that receiving the silent treatment affects the same part of the brain that detects physical pain (the anterior cingulate cortex) and there are passages in the psalms that describe the psalmists being shunned by their communities. Yet these negative psychological effects can also happen when the other party is not physically present, such as when one's texts or social media messages are ignored. This insight can be used to understand the psalmists' experiences of unanswered prayer, where God is not physically present. Studies show that the pain of ostracism and the silent treatment can affect readers and audiences second-hand as well. To that end, there is evidence that members of faith communities will be less likely to give generously after hearing Scripture passages where God ignores the psalmist or other biblical writer. Nonetheless, these negative effects are counterbalanced by the positive social aspects of gathering in community and by the fact that even psalms that include ostracism often have positive conclusions.