The article "Culture and Social Support" by Heejung S. Kim, David K. Sherman, and Shelley E. Taylor explores the cultural differences in how people utilize social support networks, particularly focusing on Asians and Asian Americans. Social support is a crucial means for coping with stress and has been shown to have significant benefits for mental and physical health. However, research has primarily examined Western perspectives, neglecting cultural differences. The authors argue that cultural backgrounds significantly influence how individuals seek and use social support. Asians and Asian Americans are found to be less likely to explicitly seek support from close others compared to European Americans, due to concerns about negative relational consequences such as losing face or disrupting group harmony. This cultural difference is consistent across various stressors and samples, including different generations of Asian Americans. The study also highlights that these cultural differences extend to different subgroups of Asians and Asian Americans, including Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese participants. The authors propose that implicit social support, which does not involve explicit disclosure of personal problems, may be more beneficial for Asians and Asian Americans. They conducted studies to test this hypothesis, finding that implicit support was more effective in reducing stress and biological markers of stress in Asian Americans. In contrast, European Americans benefited more from explicit support. The implications of these findings for intercultural interactions and mental health services are discussed. The authors suggest that understanding cultural differences in social support use can help foster more positive interactions and improve the effectiveness of mental health services among Asian Americans. They emphasize the need for awareness and sensitivity to cultural norms and expectations in both individual and institutional settings to promote effective support-seeking behaviors.The article "Culture and Social Support" by Heejung S. Kim, David K. Sherman, and Shelley E. Taylor explores the cultural differences in how people utilize social support networks, particularly focusing on Asians and Asian Americans. Social support is a crucial means for coping with stress and has been shown to have significant benefits for mental and physical health. However, research has primarily examined Western perspectives, neglecting cultural differences. The authors argue that cultural backgrounds significantly influence how individuals seek and use social support. Asians and Asian Americans are found to be less likely to explicitly seek support from close others compared to European Americans, due to concerns about negative relational consequences such as losing face or disrupting group harmony. This cultural difference is consistent across various stressors and samples, including different generations of Asian Americans. The study also highlights that these cultural differences extend to different subgroups of Asians and Asian Americans, including Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese participants. The authors propose that implicit social support, which does not involve explicit disclosure of personal problems, may be more beneficial for Asians and Asian Americans. They conducted studies to test this hypothesis, finding that implicit support was more effective in reducing stress and biological markers of stress in Asian Americans. In contrast, European Americans benefited more from explicit support. The implications of these findings for intercultural interactions and mental health services are discussed. The authors suggest that understanding cultural differences in social support use can help foster more positive interactions and improve the effectiveness of mental health services among Asian Americans. They emphasize the need for awareness and sensitivity to cultural norms and expectations in both individual and institutional settings to promote effective support-seeking behaviors.