Relationship closeness predicts unsolicited advice giving in supportive interactions

Abstract

Advice is a common element of supportive interactions, but unsolicited advice can harm the advice recipient as well as the relationship between the advice recipient and the advice giver. Despite the potential negative implications of unsolicited advice, very little is known about what predicts unsolicited advice giving in personal relationships. The present studies provide an empirical test of the association between relational closeness and unsolicited advice giving. In two studies, undergraduate students and members of the general population responded to hypothetical statements of discontent from friends who were not asking for advice. Relational closeness and unsolicited advice giving were positively correlated, with participants tending to provide more unsolicited advice to friends toward whom they felt greater relational closeness. Overall, participants gave unsolicited advice to their friends at a very early stage of a supportive interaction in approximately 70% of cases. Explanations and implications for these findings were discussed.

Informationssuche als Beziehungstat. Der Zusammenhang zwischen relationalen Faktoren und Motiven der stellvertretenden Suche nach Gesundheitsinformationen

“…Die Theorie der sozialen Unterstützung geht zudem davon aus, dass neben den strukturellen Aspekten (wie die Anzahl potentieller Unterstützungsgeber) auch qualitative Merkmale relevante Einflussfaktoren für die Hilfeleistung sind (Feng & Magen, 2016). Es lässt sich somit vermuten, dass Faktoren wie Beziehungsnähe und Art der Beziehung neben den Eigenschaften des Informationssuchers auch relevante Einflussfaktoren für die Informationssuche sind .…”

The Effects of Gain- and Loss-Framed Advice Messages on Recipients’ Responses to Advice

“…Advice is a piece of recommendation “about what might be thought, said, or done to manage a problem” (MacGeorge, Feng, & Thompson, 2008, p. 145). Offering advice is a common way to respond to others who are experiencing difficult or stressful situations (Feng & Magen, 2016; Koenig, 2011; Lomi, Lusher, Pattison, & Robins, 2013; Reid, Schmied, & Beale, 2010). Within the field of communication, advice is commonly considered a type of informational support (for a review, see MacGeorge, Feng, & Burleson, 2011).…”

Linguistic Influences on the Outcomes of Imposed Advice

“…Compared with other types of advice, recipients often react most negatively to imposed advice, probably because it threatens their sense of autonomy and competence (Van Swol et al, 2017). Unsolicited and unwanted advice is less likely to be utilized and is perceived as lower quality than solicited and wanted advice (Chentsova-Dutton & Vaughn, 2011; Deelstra et al, 2003; Feng & Magen, 2015; Goldsmith, 2000; MacGeorge et al, 2004; Paik, 2020; Van Swol et al, 2017). Yet teachers, parents, spouses, coworkers, and people in many other roles may have the need or desire to provide advice even when it is not wanted by the recipient and has been actively rebuffed.…”