Social Support

Group living is perhaps the most significant adaptation of primate species, including human beings. Whereas other animals are armed with weapons, such as sharp teeth or claws, and defensive resources, such as thick skin and speed, primate species depend critically on group living for survival (Caporeal, 1997; Dunbar, 1996). This tendency to come together is especially great under threat. Even chimpanzees, known for their solitary behavior, may abandon this style in favor of group activity when there is an enhanced risk of predation (Boesch, 1991). In times of intense stress, humans are much the same. Following the September 11 terrorist attacks, some of the most common methods people reported using to cope with this threatening event involved turning to others, including family, friends, and even strangers (Galea et al., 2002). There are, of course, tangible benefits to social affiliation under threat. For example, following a disaster, such as a fire, a flood, or a bombing, the presence of many hands can locate survivors and get them to safety. But the presence of others has long been known to foster adjustment to threatening events in other ways, specifically by protecting against adverse changes in mental and physical health that may otherwise occur in response to stress. Social support is now so widely acknowledged as a critical resource for managing stressful occurrences that more than 1,100 articles on the topic appear in the research and clinical literatures each year.