Exploring the relationship between receiving and offering online social support: A dual social support model
Authors: Lin, Tung-Ching; Hsu, Jack Shih-Chieh; Cheng, Hsiang-Lan; Chiu, Chao-Min
Journal: Information & Management (2015)
Drawing on the taxonomy of social support and the transactional model of stress and coping, we proposed a dual social support model to study the online social support exchange behaviors. Our model predicts that the receiving of problem-focused and emotion-focused support from others enhances coping resources which are the main drivers of willingness to offer support to others. We empirically tested the proposed dual social support model through the use of data collected from 212 users of online support communities. The results indicate that the problem- and emotion-focused mechanisms simultaneously, yet differentially, determine willingness to offer support.