Built to Care: Health Benefits of Support‐Giving

ABSTRACT Support‐giving—behaviors that make others feel cared for, address another's needs, or prevent a need from arising—is a key contributor to the well‐established link between social relationships and health. Emerging research findings posit that humans are built to care—that support‐giving is an innate behavior with neurobiological roots shared across species. In this review, we first discuss theoretical perspectives highlighting people's intrinsic supportive nature and the neural mechanisms that encourage support‐giving behaviors. When humans lean into their giving natures, they can experience benefits such as improved physical health and increased social connectedness. We review the emerging experimental evidence, with a particular focus on research suggesting support‐giving reduces physiological responding related to poor health, and increases social and emotional well‐being. We also discuss possible moderators to the relationship between support‐giving and health, such as effectiveness of giving and choice in giving. Additional research that manipulates supportive behavior or implements support‐giving interventions will further clarify why and when support‐giving affects health. By leaning into their giving nature, individuals may be able to further optimize the health benefits of social relationships.