Mutual and Non-Mutual Social Support

Abstract

Social support seeking is not uniformly beneficial for different cultural groups, and in fact, is experienced as less helpful and more distressing for Asians and Asian Americans compared with European Americans. However, relationship factors that may attenuate this cross-cultural difference are little understood. We examined the effects of mutual (i.e., interdependent) and non-mutual support on psychological, biological, and behavioral stress responses to support seeking using a laboratory stressor paradigm. Findings show that across all three distress indicators, East Asian Americans were more benefited when they construed support as mutual versus non-mutual, whereas European Americans’ response did not differ by support condition. Furthermore, the data support previous research showing that Asian Americans are more likely to seek support from discretionary (i.e., peers) than obligatory ties (i.e., parents). Our discussion addresses cultural differences in the priority placed on mutuality, interdependence, and harmony in relationships, and their implications for how people construe their relationships. Future areas for research are discussed.