Week 5

Question 1

How does Sarason et al 1990 define social support?

Answer 1

Knowing that one is loved and that others will do all they can when a problem arises

Question 2

How does Rees 2014 define social group?

Answer 2

All those supportive and potentially supportive people in an athlete’s or exercisers environment

E.g. coach, teammates, friends, family, role model, sport scientists

Question 3

What are the five levels of the social network?

Answer 3

1) acquaintances - speak to neighbours, shopkeepers etc
2) people to share activities - join a class, club, volunteer
3) friends to visit - get to know spouse’s colleagues, social contacts
4) someone to help in difficult times - neighbour or anyone who offers
5) confidants - close / trusted friends

Question 4

What are the three main types of support?

Answer 4

Social integration
Perceived support
Enacted support

Question 5

What is social integration?

Answer 5

The number of different types of relationships in an athletes support network

Question 6

What is perceived support?

Answer 6

A subjective judgement that support will be provided if needed

Question 7

What is enacted support? (Also known as received support)

Answer 7

Specific helping actions provided by members of an athlete’s support network within a specific time frame

Question 8

What are the dimensions of support?

Answer 8

Emotional support
Esteem support
Informational support
Tangible support

Question 9

What is emotional support?

Answer 9

Being there for comfort and security, leading to an athlete feeling loved and cared for

Question 10

What is esteem support?

Answer 10

Bolstering an athlete’s sense of competence or self esteem

Question 11

What is informational support?

Answer 11

Providing an athlete with advice or guidance

Question 12

What is tangible support?

Answer 12

Providing an athlete with concrete instrumental assistance

Question 13

Two main theoretical models propose explanations of the mechanisms by which social support produces positive outcomes. What are these?

Answer 13

Main (or direct) effects

Stress buffering (or protection or reduction) effect

Question 14

What is the main (or direct) effects model?

Answer 14

Increases in social support are related to increases in positive outcomes

Social support leads to better performance / greater wellbeing

Main effects are most commonly related to social integration elements (the more provided, the better the athlete will get)

Question 15

What is meant by six degrees of separation?

Answer 15

If you think of anyone, you’re linked to them by six people

Can connect any two people on the globe by six people

Question 16

What is the stress buffering (or protection or reduction) effect model?

Answer 16

Social support influences the relationship between a stressor and outcome (via appraisal)

Support either protects from the potentially negative effects of stress or reduces the actual negative effects

Stress buffering effects are most commonly related to enacted elements (it’s not enough to just perceive that there is lots of support, at high levels of stress people actually need to come through and action support)

Question 17

Stress buffering effect at low levels of stress

Answer 17

No difference in positive outcomes between those with high and low levels of support

Question 18

Stress buffering effect at high levels of stress

Answer 18

At high levels of stress, more support leads to more positive outcomes

Question 19

Is support always effective?

Answer 19

Effects of social integration and perceived support are generally positive

However, effects of enacted support are often neutral or sometimes negative - ‘the paradox of support’

Question 20

What makes support effective?

Answer 20

Initial levels of perceived support
The match of the support to the situation
Context
Providers expertise in providing social support
The timing of the support

Question 21

How do initial levels of support influence the effectiveness of the support?

Answer 21

Those with low initial levels of support benefit the most

Question 22

How does the match of the support to the situation influence the effectiveness of support?

Answer 22

Uncontrollable events - emotional and / or esteem support
Controllable events - informational and / or tangible support

However, must be noted that support behaviours serve multiple functions and there is a high degree of overlap

Question 23

How does context influence the effectiveness of support?

Answer 23

In performance contexts, esteem support is more beneficial than informational and tangible support

Question 24

How does the providers expertise in providing social support influence the effectiveness of support?

Answer 24

Whether they have experienced similar situations
The quality of the relationship
Level of knowledge and expertise

Question 25

How does the timing of support influence the effectiveness of support?

Answer 25

Support is more beneficial if provided after appraisal and a request for help (as opposed to before support has been requested)

Question 26

What is invisible support?

Answer 26

A team mate requests support on a shared task to assist a struggling team mate

A team mate highlights how they are overcoming their “own problem” to influence someone else

Question 27

What are the implications for sports coaching which support is mostly provided before it is requested?

Answer 27

Invisible support

Question 28

What are the applied implications and practical recommendations of support in sport?

Answer 28

Even the most well intended, professionally led support interventions can be experienced in a negative manner

Needs to be carefully planned to bolster not undermine recipients autonomy / self efficacy

Athletes should not feel like they must ‘go it alone’ in their pursuit of success

Generate an understanding of and maximise the use of different dimensions of social support

Question 29

What should athletes be encouraged to do in terms of support?

Answer 29

Be proactive in seeking / using support

It shouldn’t be perceived as a sign of weakness