CULTURE, CONTROL, AND COPING - NEW PERSPECTIVES ON SOCIAL SUPPORT

Researchers have offered various explanations for inconsistent finding s in the social support literature. Some contend that the detection of either buffering or direct effects depends on the mode of measurement . Others have demonstrated that person variables (e.g., locus of contr ol) moderate support utilization during stressful times. This study at tempts to integrate the issues of measure type, locus of control orien tation, and cultural influence in a comprehensive study comparing Angl o-Americans and Chinese nationals. Measures appropriate for testing th e stress-buffering model of social support were given to 198 students in a Midwestern university and 200 students in mainland China. Both me asure type and locus of control orientation mediated the process of su pport utilization in each culture, but not in the same manner across c ultures. For Anglos, stress-buffering effects of both perceived and re ceived support were found only with internals. For Chinese, main effec ts and a buffering pattern from perceived support were found only with externals. The received support measure yielded negative buffering ef fects with the latter culture.