Embracing cultural similarities and bridging differences in supportive communication

2015 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-41 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hairong Feng
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Cultural Differences ◽  
Asian Americans ◽  
Communication Research ◽  
Supportive Communication ◽  
Comprehensive Understanding ◽  
Support Provision ◽  
European Americans ◽  
Similarities And Differences

This paper critically reviews cultural similarities and differences between European Americans and Asians or Asian Americans found in contemporary supportive communication research. In addition to research primarily examining and reporting cultural differences of social support between European Americans and Asians or Asian Americans, recent research in culture and social support has been focusing on examining both cultural similarities and differences. Broad similarities across cultures have been found regarding evaluations of support provision goals, messages, behaviors, ratings of support provision beliefs, attitudes, and intentions, likelihood of seeking support and so forth. These findings therefore provide us an alternative lens to examine supportive communication across cultures: rather than highlighting cultural differences, we instead want to attend to both cultural similarities and differences. Theoretically, this transition allows us to have a comprehensive understanding about support processes across cultures. Practically, this change of focus provides bridging opportunities and helps enhance understanding between European Americans and Asians or Asian Americans during supportive interactions.

scholarly journals Cultural Differences in the Impact of Social Support on Psychological and Biological Stress Responses

2007 ◽  
Vol 18 (9) ◽  
pp. 831-837 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shelley E. Taylor ◽  
William T. Welch ◽  
Heejung S. Kim ◽  
David K. Sherman
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Cultural Differences ◽  
Asian Americans ◽  
Stress Responses ◽  
Supportive Services ◽  
Biological Stress ◽  
European Americans ◽  
Social Support Seeking ◽  
Support Seeking ◽  
The Impact

Social support is believed to be a universally valuable resource for combating stress, yet Asians and Asian Americans report that social support is not helpful to them, resist seeking it, and are underrepresented among recipients of supportive services. We distinguish between explicit social support (seeking and using advice and emotional solace) and implicit social support (focusing on valued social groups) and show that Asians and Asian Americans are psychologically and biologically benefited more by implicit social support than by explicit social support; the reverse is true for European Americans. Our discussion focuses on cultural differences in the construal of relationships and their implications for social support and delivery of support services.

Sense of Contribution Mediates Cultural Differences in Support-Seeking

2021 ◽  
pp. 106939712110326
Author(s):  
Takeshi Hashimoto ◽  
Claudia Gherghel
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Cultural Differences ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Stressful Events ◽  
East Asians ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
European Americans ◽  
Important Mediator ◽  
Support Seeking

Compared to European Americans, East Asians are more reluctant to seek social support when dealing with stressful events. The purpose of this study is to test three possible explanations of these cultural differences. In addition to examining both harmony seeking and rejection avoidance (two facets of interdependence reflecting relationship concerns) as possible explanations, we propose a novel explanation, namely that sense of contribution (i.e., the degree to which one contributes to other people’s well-being) may be an important mediator for explaining cultural differences in support seeking. A survey was conducted on adults living in Japan and the U.S. Results revealed that Japanese less often rely on social support, and sense of contribution significantly mediates the association between culture and support seeking. In contrast, the mediating role of both harmony seeking and rejection avoidance was not supported. The results indicate that cultural differences in support seeking may be more adequately accounted for by sense of contribution than relationship concerns.

Interpreting a Helping Hand

2012 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 88-99 ◽  
Author(s):  
Taraneh Mojaverian ◽  
Heejung S. Kim
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Asian Americans ◽  
Asian American ◽  
Stress Responses ◽  
European American ◽  
European Americans ◽  
Social Belonging

Research has shown that Asians/Asian Americans are less likely to seek social support to deal with stressful situations than European Americans. Two studies examined the effectiveness of two types of social support: support that is sought directly (solicited support) and support received without prompting from the recipient (unsolicited support). It was theorized that receiving unsolicited support may reinforce social belonging and relational ties, whereas soliciting support may pose relational threats for Asian Americans. In contrast, European Americans may be less affected by type of support received. The first study examined culture (European American vs. Asian American) and type of social support (solicited vs. unsolicited) on stress responses to a task in a lab setting. The second study used vignettes of possible stressors with unsolicited or solicited coping techniques. Results supported our hypothesis, with Asian Americans reporting better outcomes from unsolicited support and European Americans showing little difference between support types.

scholarly journals Cultural differences in social support seeking: The mediating role of empathic concern

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (12) ◽  
pp. e0262001
Author(s):  
Shaofeng Zheng ◽  
Takahiko Masuda ◽  
Masahiro Matsunaga ◽  
Yasuki Noguchi ◽  
Yohsuke Ohtsubo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Cultural Differences ◽  
Cultural Difference ◽  
Empathic Concern ◽  
Mediating Effect ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
European Americans ◽  
Social Support Seeking ◽  
Support Seeking ◽  
Different Cultures

Prior research has found that East Asians are less willing than Westerners to seek social support in times of need. What factors account for this cultural difference? Whereas previous research has examined the mediating effect of relational concern, we predicted that empathic concern, which refers to feeling sympathy and concern for people in need and varies by individuals from different cultures, would promote support seeking. We tested the prediction in two studies. In Study 1, European Canadians reported higher empathic concern and a higher frequency of support seeking, compared to the Japanese participants. As predicted, cultural differences in social support seeking were influenced by empathic concern. In Study 2, both empathic concern and relational concern mediated cultural differences in support seeking. Japanese with lower empathic concern but higher relational concern were more reluctant than European Americans to seek social support during stressful times. Finally, loneliness, which was more prevalent among the Japanese than among the European Americans, was partially explained by social support seeking.

scholarly journals MILITARY FAMILIES IN ESTONIA, SLOVENIA AND SWEDEN – SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES

2020 ◽  
pp. 69-88
Author(s):  
KAIRI KASEARU ◽  
ANN-MARGRETH E. OLSSON ◽  
ANDRES SIPLANE ◽  
JANJA VUGA BERŠNAK
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Key Words ◽  
Military Families ◽  
Military Family ◽  
Family Services ◽  
Support Provision ◽  
Similarities And Differences ◽  
The Military

Povzetek Koncept vojaške družine je prepoznan in preučevan v mednarodnem akademskem ter raziskovalnem okolju. Ni pa primerljivo uporabljan v različnih državah. Namen članka je razpravljati in razvijati koncept “vojaških družin” ter analizirati situacije, s katerimi se te družine spoprijemajo v vsakodnevnem življenju, v Estoniji, Sloveniji in na Švedskem. Osvetlili smo nekatere podobnosti in razlike, ki izhajajo iz kulturnih, družbenih in vojaških posebnosti posamezne države. Naštete vplivajo in sooblikujejo identifikacijo družine kot vojaške ter tudi prepoznavanje družine kot vojaške v širši družbi. Slednje vpliva tudi na razvoj in obliko podpore ter storitev, namenjenih vojaškim družinam v posamezni državi. Ključne besede vojaška družina, socialna podpora in storitve, Estonija, Švedska, Slovenija. Abstract The concept “military family” is very well known in the international academic sphere, but is not a widely used term in many countries. The aim of this article is to elaborate the concept of the military family and the situation of these families in Estonia, Slovenia and Sweden. The similarities and differences between these three countries are highlighted by showing how the cultural, social and military context may influence and shape the recognition of military families, services and support provision. Key words military family, services and social support, Estonia, Sweden, Slovenia.

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