Investigating mechanisms of social support effectiveness: The case of locomotion motivation

Although social support can entail costs, individuals with a higher locomotion orientation, who are motivated to move and take action, benefit from support. In two dyadic studies, we tested whether perceived movement towards important goals would mediate the effect of recipients’ locomotion motivation on positive outcomes in support contexts. In Study 1, couples completed a 10-day diary and then recalled support interactions with their partner after the diary period. In Study 2, couples engaged in laboratory support interactions for important goals. Perceived goal movement mediated the effect of higher (vs. lower) locomotion on self-reported ratings and coder ratings of support outcomes. Higher locomotion recipients may benefit in support contexts because they perceive they can move smoothly towards their goals.