Dual Process and Advice Response Theories: Explaining Outcomes of Supportive Communication

When we are stressed, we often turn to friends, family, and other sources of support. What others do and say when attempting to help us cope is the focus of scholars who study supportive communication. Importantly, this work shows that there are (a) better and worse ways to assist others in need of aid and (b) positive benefits for high quality support. In Chapter 7, Graham D. Bodie and Erina L. MacGeorge focus on two theories that emphasize how individuals interpret and evaluate (i.e., process) supportive communication: the dual-process theory of supportive message outcomes and advice response theory. Bodie and MacGeorge provide brief accounts of the intellectual traditions, main goals and features, and research applications of each theory before evaluating both explanations and discussing future directions. By solving a bit of the mystery of how and why supportive messages succeed or fail, these theories will provide you with a better understanding of how your responses to others in need are likely to be interpreted and evaluated.