{"id":373,"date":"2024-03-22T23:21:37","date_gmt":"2024-03-23T03:21:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/psychologymtdisupplement\/chapter\/social-support-strengthens-immune-system\/"},"modified":"2024-08-22T17:05:57","modified_gmt":"2024-08-22T21:05:57","slug":"social-support-strengthens-immune-system","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/psychologymtdisupplement\/chapter\/social-support-strengthens-immune-system\/","title":{"raw":"WB.35: Deep Dive - Social Support Strengthens Immune System","rendered":"WB.35: Deep Dive – Social Support Strengthens Immune System"},"content":{"raw":"

[pb_glossary id=\"390\"]Approximate reading time:[\/pb_glossary] 1 minute<\/p>\n\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_315\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"350\"]\"A Figure SUP WB.12. Social support.<\/strong> Mother elephant gives closeness and social support to her baby.[\/caption]\n\nEven in nonhuman animals, species mates can offer social support during times of stress. For example, elephants seem to be able to sense when other elephants are stressed and will often comfort them with physical contact \u2014 such as a trunk touch \u2014 or an empathetic vocal response (Krumboltz, 2014). This aspect of social support is not just emotional but also physiological, as it can boost the immune system. When we receive support, especially in stressful situations, our body's defense mechanisms are strengthened, enhancing our ability to ward off illnesses.\n

Image Attributions<\/h1>\nFigure SUP WB.12.\u00a0Photo<\/a> by David Heiling<\/a> on Unsplash<\/a>","rendered":"

Approximate reading time:<\/a> 1 minute<\/p>\n

\"A
Figure SUP WB.12. Social support.<\/strong> Mother elephant gives closeness and social support to her baby.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Even in nonhuman animals, species mates can offer social support during times of stress. For example, elephants seem to be able to sense when other elephants are stressed and will often comfort them with physical contact \u2014 such as a trunk touch \u2014 or an empathetic vocal response (Krumboltz, 2014). This aspect of social support is not just emotional but also physiological, as it can boost the immune system. When we receive support, especially in stressful situations, our body’s defense mechanisms are strengthened, enhancing our ability to ward off illnesses.<\/p>\n

Image Attributions<\/h1>\n

Figure SUP WB.12.\u00a0Photo<\/a> by David Heiling<\/a> on Unsplash<\/a><\/p>\n

definition<\/span>