Support features, psychological reactance, and support outcomes: evaluating social network support for friends and daters

• Published in: Communication quarterly Vol. 72; no. 1; pp. 1 - 27
• Main Authors: Brisini, Kellie St.Cyr, Wang, Ningyang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: University Park Routledge 01.01.2024; Eastern Communication Association
• Subjects: Messages; Perceived support availability; person-centered messages; psychological reactance; Reactance; relational closeness; Social networks; supportive communication
• ISSN: 0146-3373; 1746-4102
• DOI: 10.1080/01463373.2023.2281678

This study examined the ways in which characteristics of support interactions associate with psychological reactance and, in turn, affect support outcomes. Recent studies have linked the content/quality of support messages to psychological reactance. We build on those findings by exploring associations between reactance and features of the support provider, recipient, and problem-context. We gathered data from 615 college students who described a disagreement with a dating partner (280) or friend (335). Participants reported their perceptions of perceived support availability and relational closeness with the support provider. They then evaluated a support message that varied in verbal person-centeredness. Results suggest a mediating role of psychological reactance on support outcomes. Significant mean differences were identified for support outcomes between the dating and friend contexts, but the associations between the variables were not statistically different between the groups. Discussion addresses supportive communication as a form of social influence that may induce psychological reactance.