Impacts on Society: Informational and Socio-Emotional Support in Virtual Communities and Online Groups

Background

Social support can come in many forms, but all forms are ultimately aimed at comforting and uplifting others (Finfgeld-Connett, 2005; Langford et al., 1997). People need social support especially when they are under stress (Cohen & Wills, 1985). Traditionally, social support has been studied within the health care and psychological research fields due to its direct relationship to the outcome of improving one’s mental and physical health. In fact, studies find empirical support for the direct relationship between psychological adjustment and social support of cancer patients (for a review see Helgeson & Cohen, 1996). Lance Armstrong is a popular example of a patient who overcame the stress of his cancer diagnosis with the help of his family and friends. His website, Livestrong, originally was a support system for other cancer survivors. Moreover, on top of aiding in recovery from disease, having a supportive social network can positively affect a person’s overall quality of life (Helgeson, 2003) and well-being (Lee, Noh, & Koo, 2013).