Formal Modeling and Analysis of Social Support Recipient Preferences

Abstract

This paper presents formal recipient model of support seeking behavior. Support seeking is significantly dynamic and it includes substantial changes as demanding condition happen. From this perspective, the proposed model covers integrating of both coping strategies, support preferences and network ties. The recipient model can be used to recognize social support and human interaction within social networks during stressful events. The model was able to produce realistic behavior that could clarify conditions for handling stress. This was done by employing simulation experiments under various negative events, personality resources and personality attributes. Simulation results show that a person with problemfocused coping, requests either informational or instrumental support. In contrary, a person with emotion-focused coping request instrumental, emotional, and companionship support. Moreover, informational support leads to higher increase requests from weak tie than other types of supports that request from strong tie. These results were similar to those with the model’s mathematical analysis. Finally, a mathematical analysis was used to examine the possible equilibria of the model.