Ritika has been unwell for a long period of time and hence she has missed a lot of classes. When she shared this with her friend, her friend helped her with all the necessary notes. Identify the kind of social support offered by her friend.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → Tangible support
Option (1) Emotional support — Incorrect. Emotional support is reassuring the person that she or he is loved, valued and cared for, which helps against sadness, anxiety and loss of self-esteem. Ritika’s friend gave her something concrete, not reassurance.
Option (2) Tangible support — Correct. Tangible support is assistance involving material aid, such as money, goods or services. A standard example is a child giving notes to a friend who was absent from school due to sickness, the very help Ritika received.
Option (3) Rational support — Incorrect. There is no such type of social support; the types are tangible, informational and emotional.
Option (4) Informational support — Incorrect. Informational support is information about the stressful event from someone who has faced it, such as a friend telling a student about the procedures of a difficult board examination and the coping strategies that help. Class notes are material help for the missed lessons, not information about how to deal with the stressful event.
NCERT (2025-26): “Social Support … Social support may be in the form of tangible support or assistance involving material aid, such as money, goods, services, etc. For example, a child gives notes to her/his friend, since s/he was absent from school due to sickness. Family and friends also provide informational support about stressful events. For example, a student facing a stressful event such as a difficult board examination, if provided information by a friend who has faced a similar one, would not only be able to identify the exact procedures involved, but also it would facilitate in determining what resources and coping strategies could be useful to successfully pass the examination.…” “Social Support … Supportive friends and family provide emotional support by reassuring the individual that she/he is loved, valued, and cared for.…” |