Effects of Stress on the Social Support Provided by Men and Women in Intimate Relationships

Psychological Science
Guy BodenmannThomas N Bradbury

Abstract

Although evolutionary and social-structural models predict that women will be more supportive than men in relationships, behavioral studies fail to confirm this difference. We predicted instead that gender differences in support will be moderated by stress, and that men will provide lower-quality support primarily when their stress is high. We predicted further that the detrimental effects of stress on men's support will be more evident when men are responding to women's emotionally toned expressions of stress than when men are responding to women's affectively neutral expressions of stress. Stressed and unstressed men and women were observed providing support to a stressed relationship partner. While unstressed, men and women generally provided similar support to the stressed partner. While stressed, men provided lower-quality support than did comparably stressed women, but only in response to emotionally toned expressions of stress. Thus, gender differences in support may arise because women are better able than men to regulate other people's emotional distress while managing stresses of their own.

References

Aug 1, 1992·Journal of Personality and Social Psychology·J M Gottman, R W Levenson
May 16, 1998·Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology·L A Pasch, T N Bradbury
Aug 15, 2000·Psychological Review·S E TaylorJ A Updegraff
Jul 7, 2001·Psychological Bulletin·J K Kiecolt-Glaser, T L Newton
Oct 16, 2001·The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism·M HeinrichsD H Hellhammer
May 5, 2004·Psychological Bulletin·Sally S Dickerson, Margaret E Kemeny
Jan 6, 2005·Journal of Personality and Social Psychology·Lisa A Neff, Benjamin R Karney
Mar 3, 2005·Biological Psychology·Brigitte M Kudielka, Clemens Kirschbaum
May 14, 2005·Nature Reviews. Neuroscience·E Ron de KloetFlorian Holsboer
Mar 24, 2010·Journal of Personality and Social Psychology·Kieran T SullivanThomas N Bradbury
Jun 24, 2011·Trends in Cognitive Sciences·Jennifer A BartzKevin N Ochsner
Jul 31, 2012·Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience·Beate DitzenMarkus Heinrichs

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Apr 8, 2017·Nicotine & Tobacco Research : Official Journal of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco·Janina LüscherUrte Scholz
Dec 13, 2017·Stress and Health : Journal of the International Society for the Investigation of Stress·Petruta P RusuGuy Bodenmann
Aug 23, 2018·Psychosomatic Medicine·Beate DitzenMarkus Heinrichs
Dec 14, 2019·International Journal of Psychology : Journal International De Psychologie·Feng XuGuy Bodenmann
Jul 31, 2018·Annals of Behavioral Medicine : a Publication of the Society of Behavioral Medicine·Janina LüscherUrte Scholz
Dec 10, 2016·Anxiety, Stress, and Coping·Janina Lüscher, Urte Scholz
Apr 27, 2017·Frontiers in Psychology·Peter FuchsGuy Bodenmann
Mar 16, 2019·Frontiers in Psychology·Ariela Francesca PaganiDominik Schoebi
Apr 12, 2019·Frontiers in Psychology·Mariana Karin Falconier, Rebekka Kuhn
Sep 5, 2020·Annual Review of Psychology·Benjamin R Karney
Dec 25, 2016·Hormones and Behavior·Gary D ShermanRobert A Josephs
Apr 10, 2021·Anxiety, Stress, and Coping·Ashley K RandallNicholas D Duran
Apr 27, 2021·Supportive Care in Cancer : Official Journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer·Tingting CaiChangrong Yuan
Feb 1, 2020·Journal of Marriage and the Family·Benjamin R Karney, Thomas N Bradbury

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Software Mentioned

Mplus

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.