To whom do people turn when things go poorly? Task orientation and functional social contacts.

Abstract

Using experience-sampling data the authors examined distinct benefits and uses of social support. As expected, emotional support buffered negative psychological states, and informational support appeared to facilitate mastery-related states, among individuals who had previously reported low well-being. An examination of social pursuits revealed that these distinct kinds of support were sought by individuals who were especially likely to need them. Participants focused on outcomes in their social lives, and therefore especially likely to be emotionally distressed when social pursuits go poorly, responded to poor social well-being by spending time with emotional supporters. Participants focused on improvement in their social lives responded to poor social well-being by spending time with others who could provide information to facilitate self-improvement--people who personified their self-ideals.