Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 22, 2026

The Social Dimension of Stress: Experimental Manipulations of Social Support and Social Identity in the Trier Social Stress Test
Published on: November 19, 2015
Three generalizability studies of the components of perceived coach support
Tim Rees1, Paul Freeman, Steve Bell
1Sport and Health Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, U.K.
Abstract:
Coaches are important providers of social support, but what influences us to perceive our coaches as supportive or unsupportive? We investigated the extent to which perceptions of coach support reflect characteristics of athletes and coaches, as well as relational components. In three studies, athletes judged the actual or hypothetical supportiveness of various coaches. The methods of generalizability theory permitted us to conclude that perceptions of coach support primarily reflected relational components, with characteristics both of athletes and coaches also independently playing (lesser) roles. These findings suggest that athletes may systematically disagree on the supportiveness of their coaches.
Related Concept Videos
Theory of Attribution II: Kelley's Covariation Theory
Factors Influencing Attraction III: Similarity
Social Proof
Halo Effect
Sources of Self-Esteem III: Social Comparison
Sources of Self-Esteem II: Performance Feedback
