Document Type

Article

Publication Date

9-2003

Publication Source

Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology

Abstract

Social support research increasingly draws from research on social cognition. Most of this research has studied assimilation and chronically accessible (i.e., frequently activated) social support constructs. This article presents three studies, in both laboratory and treatment settings, on context-induced contrast and assimilation in support judgments. In each study, participants exposed to positive social contexts subsequently rated supportive stimuli more negatively than participants exposed to negative social contexts. These effects were observed in ratings of participants’ own social networks, the social climate of a residential treatment environment, and a videotaped supportive interaction. In two studies, negative contexts also were associated with increased negative affect and affect-related assimilation. That is, participants with more negative affect rated social environments more negatively than participants with less negative emotion. In some circumstances, context- induced contrast and assimilation counteracted each other. These effects have implications for social support interventions.

Inclusive pages

441-462

ISBN/ISSN

0736-7236

Document Version

Published Version

Comments

All rights reserved under International Copyright Convention. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, or stored in or introduced into any information storage or retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the written permission of The Guilford Press.

Article is included in repository with the permission of the publisher. Permission documentation is on file.

Publisher information: Guilford Publications, 370 7th Ave., Ste. 1200. New York, NY 10001 / Phone 212-431-9800 or 800-365-7006 / website: www.guilford.com

Publisher

Guilford Press

Volume

22

Issue

4

Peer Reviewed

yes

Link to published version

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