Openness to Emotion as Predictor of Perceived, Requested, and Observer Reports of Social Support

Abstract

105 undergraduates participated in a study exploring how differences in people's ability to use emotion effectively (open, closed, or conflicted styles) to cope with everyday problems are linked to social support. Ss completed self-report measures of social support, emotional styles, and subjective well-being. Results showed that being open to the experience of emotion is related to experiencing positive mood, happiness, and perceptions that social support is available. Those who approached their social network to deal with a daily problem were more likely to be emotionally open. Finally, observer reports of emotionally expressiveness of the Ss were related to ratings of knowing the S more intimately, and these Ss were rated as being more emotionally open. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2007 APA, all rights reserved)