Abstract
Sensitive Interaction Systems Theory suggests that complex problems, including adverse medical diagnoses, can create tension in the social support process. In this experiment one member of a romantic couple received medical feedback that either threatened gender roles or was irrelevant. The couple's interaction was covertly recorded for the support activation behaviors displayed by the support seeker and for the interactive coping behaviors offered by the help giver. Both type of support activation and type of problem affected the use of support behavior.Nonverbal support activation behaviors promoted helpers' use ofavoidance interactive coping behaviors, whereasverbal activation behaviors promotedapproach interactive coping behaviors, suggesting a tit-for-tat dynamic. The gender-role relevance of the medical diagnosis also influenced helpers' use of approach behaviors, although not the support seekers' need for support or efforts to elicit support.
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The present paper is based on a Masters Thesis in Psychology completed by the first author under the direction of the second author and was presented at the Iowa Conference on Personal Relationships, May, 1993.
The authors thank Timothy Carrico, David Clippinger, and Cresant Smith for their help with the experiment. The authors are also very grateful to Melissa Berry for her special assistance in conducting this research. Thanks are also expressed to the reviewers of the manuscript, Carolyn Cutrona and Barbara Winstead.
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Yankeelov, P.A., Barbee, A.P., Cunningham, M.R. et al. The influence of negative medical diagnoses and verbal and nonverbal support activation strategies on the interactive coping process. J Nonverbal Behav 19, 243–260 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02173083
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02173083