Lecture 16: Social Support 2

Question 1

STUDY: FINKEL ET AL., 2006; Performance and Social Support

Answer 1

First completed the joint task.
- P assigned the role of “tracker.”
- Confederate assigned the role of “communicator.”
P & C sat at table that was divided by a
partition; P told to control the movements and move through the maze. Had to listen to C for instructions.
Two conditions:
- Low maintenance: confederate struck
to a script and made no mistakes.
- High maintenance: confederate made
a series of scripted errors and became
out of sync with P: Wait… right… I
mean left!
- Participants then went on to complete a number of difficult GRE problems.
- DV: performance
- Found: P’s in high-maintenance condition solved less; mentally exaushting.

Question 2

Gender Differences in Social Support

Answer 2

• Men report receiving more support than wives.
• Men report receiving better support than
  wives.
• After a stressful work day: Wives more likely than husbands to increase their workload at home in response to partner’s stressful day.
• Men and women equally likely to give
  advice.
  Why are men less helpful than women?
• Skill: Men are less capable of giving effective support.
• Responsiveness: Men don’t understand when their partners need support.

Question 3

STUDY: KIRSCHBAUM ET AL., 1995; TSST (Trier Social Stress Test)

Answer 3

• Participants completed TSST.
• Phase 1: Participants asked to prepare a speech as part of a ‘job interview.’
• Phase 2: Participants give the speech and the judges observe without comment.
• Phase 3: Participant asked to count backwards from 1022 in steps of 13.
• Conditions: No support, Support provided by stranger, Support by romantic partner.
• Found: Women felt most stress wiht support from romantic partner, men felt least stress with romantic partner.

Question 4

3 Types of Social Support

Answer 4

Emotional support, informational support, instrumental support.

Question 5

3 Types of Social Support: Emotional Support

Answer 5

Providing warmth, nurturance, and reassurance.

Question 6

3 Types of Social Support: Informational Support

Answer 6

Providing information that helps person understand stressful event; advice.

Question 7

3 Types of Social Support: Instrumental Support

Answer 7

Providing tangible assistances such as services, money, etc.

Question 8

STUDY: NEFF AND KARNEY, 2005; Men vs. Women in Social Support

Answer 8

• For 7 days, both partners report on: Stress, negative spousal behaviours, spousal support behaviours.
  FOUND:
• No gender differences in amount of support or negative behaviours generally.
• Husbands and wives did differ in when
  they provided support.
• When husbands had a really stressful
  problem wives increased their support.
  When wives had a really stressful problem,
  husband didn’t increase their support:
  ~ Wives even reported more negative
  husband behavior,
  ~ Men don’t support during the right time
  whereas women do.

Question 9

Attachment Styles and Social Support: Attachment Anxiety

Answer 9

Concerns about rejection.

Question 10

Attachment Styles and Social Support: Attachment Avoidance

Answer 10

Concerns about the trustworthiness of others.

Question 11

Attachment Styles and Social Support: Recipient

Answer 11

Receiving Support

Question 12

Attachment Styles and Social Support: Provider

Answer 12

Giving Support

Question 13

Highly Anxious Recipients

Answer 13

• Less optimistic about receiving support.
• Are more likely to see negative intent when support is ambiguous.
• More likely to remember support as being negative; “oh, they did that on purpose.”

Question 14

Highly Avoidant Recipients

Answer 14

• Less likely to seek support.
• More likely to hint and salt rather than ask directly.
• Direct attention away from close others.

Question 15

Highly Anxious Providers

Answer 15

• Intrusive, and over involves.
• Controlling.
• Provide less instrumental support.
• Out of sync with partners needs.
• More mentally distracted.
• High motivation, low ability.

Question 16

Highly Avoidant Providers

Answer 16

• Neglectful.
• Also controlling.
• Unmotivated to provide support (so partner doesn’t have to rely on them).
• High ability, low motivation.

Question 17

STUDY: FLYNN AND LAKE, 2008; Cell Phone Study and Other’s Willingness to Support

Answer 17

• Participants asked to approach strangers and ask them for one of two favours: Borrow phone to make a call, or Ask where gym is and if they can walk them there.
• P’s predictions: Would need to approach many people before someone agreed.
• Reality: Did not need to approach that many people.
• Why? People tend to underestimate others’ willingness to help. Helpers also underestimate how uncomfortable help seeking is.

Question 18

STUDY: When Support Goes Wrong (and it’s the recipients fault)

Answer 18

Participants asked to think of:
- One example of how their partner helped them with health and fitness goals.
- One example of how their partner helped
them with their career goals.
- One thing they lied about their partner.
DV: how much time do you plan to spend
pursuing health and fitness goals in the coming week?
- Found: Most important thing is that partner FEELS supported.