Year: 2013
Type: dissertation
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Previous research has shown that social support helps people deal with negative experiences, contributing to one's emotional well-being.However, we know less about exactly how social support influences well-being.The present studies investigated one possible mechanism through which social support affects emotional well-being-that is, one's strategy of emotion regulation.Study 1 examined the influence of social support on one's positive affect over the past two months, and whether this was influenced by one reappraising his or her emotions.Participants completed an online survey that evaluated their emotion regulation approach, social support, and well-being.Results showed that people who had more social support were more likely to experience greater positive affect, and reappraisal was a potential mechanism.Extending these results, Study 2 focused on how social support helps people cope with specific negative experiences.Results showed that the more social support participants reported receiving, the lower their emotional reactivity to a recalled personal negative event.Interestingly, participants thinking that the event was less important to them influenced this effect.Collectively, these findings show how one's emotion regulation strategies can serve as a mechanism through which social support has an influence on emotional well-being.
Author: Salomi Rami
Language: English
Subfield: Social Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W59458770