Social Support Flashcards
(47 cards)
Social Support
- History of Study
-
Contributor
- proposed?
Last 30 years → health research ↑ interest in social support
- powerful influence of social relationships on health has gathered interest
Study owes much to work of social epidemiologist John Cassel
- proposed that SS serves as key psychosocial protective factor that ↓ vulnerability to deleterious effects of stress on health
Social Support & Mortality/Morbidity
(3)
Research shows people with high quality/quantity of social networks have ↓ risk of mortality
Social Support may influence incidence & prevalance
Social isolation identified as independant major risk factor for all-cause mortality
Social Support
- definition
information from others that one is loved, cared for, esteemed, valued, part of network of communication & mutual obligations
- must be reciprocal
Social Support → (2) Main Models
1) Buffer Hypothesis
2) Direct Effects Hypothesis
1) Buffer Hypothesis
Support related to well-being primarily for person under stress
→ buffers/protects from influence of stress
→ value placed on perception of stress
- feelings of helplessness arise due to percieved inability to cope with situations demanding effective response
2) Direct Effects Hypothesis
influence of support on health is independant of current stress level
- focus on link between social integration & health
Social Network & Social Support
- are ____ that describe.. (3) of social relationships
Concepts that describe structure, process & functions of social relationships
Social Integration (SI)
- refers to? (2)
- significance?
- refers to:
- existance of social ties
- principles by which individuals are related to each other in society
protective factor for heart attack morbidity
- mid-low SI → ↑ 2x post-MI readmission
Social Network
refers to web of social relationships that surround individual
Social Support
→ important function of social relationships
aid/assistance exchanged through social relationships & interpersonal transactions
Social Support
- ___ & ____ in numerous ways
- (4) types
defined & measured
1) Emotional support
2) Appraisal support
3) Instrumental support
4) Informational support
1) Emotional support
→ Research implications (2)
involves provision of empathy, love, trust & caring
- can be positive or negative
→ ↓ perceived levels in elderly women predicted ↑ mortality
→ partner’s efforts to exert control are ineffective & can fortify undesired behavior
2) Appraisal support
involves provision of information that is useful for self-evaluation
→ constructive feedback, affirmation, & social comparison
3) Instrumental support
involves provision of tangible aid & services
4) Informational support
involves provision of advice, suggestions & info that can be used to address problems
Social Network → (3) important characteristics
*
1) Reciprocity
2) Intensity
3) Complexity
→ dyadic characteristics (between focus person & network)
Social Network → 3 Important Characteristics
1) Reciprocity
extent to which resources & support are both given & recieved in a relationship
Social Network → 3 Important Characteristics
2) Intensity
extent to which a relationship is characterized by emotional closeness
Social Network → 3 Important Characteristics
3) Complexity
extent to which a relationship serves a variety of functions
Social Network → 3 Important Characteristics
- DYADIC characteristics → meaning?
characteristics of specific relationships between focal individual & others in network
Social Support vs. Social Network
SS → 1 on 1 interaction
SN → linkages between people that may or may not provide SS & serve functions other than providing support
(3) Characteristics of Social Networks as a Whole
1) Homogeneity
2) Geographic DIspersion
3) Density
1) Homogeneity
extent to which network members are similar in terms of demographic characteristics
2) Geographic DIspersion
extent to which network members live in close proximity to focal person