[A list of social support gaining tactics]

Two studies were conducted to compile a list of social support gaining tactics. Support of three types (tangible, mental, and informational) from four sources (parents, professors, close friends/boy girl-friends/siblings, and friends) was considered. In Study 1, 25 Taiwanese college students were interviewed, and 151 students filled out an open-ended questionnaire. They were asked, for each type and source, to list the kinds of tactics they had used or they would use when they needed social support, and 33 items were collected. In Study 2, factor analysis found seven factors for them: passionate appeal, entreaty, roundabout appeal, other exploitation, reward, reason appeal, and threat.