Usually while modelling rotor-bearing systems the bearings are treated as point supports. In the present paper, using the finite element technique, the unbalance response of rotors is studied by considering distributed bearing stiffness and damping. The bearing stiffness and damping terms are derived by the principle of virtual work. Unbalance responses of rotors with bearing distributed effects are compared with the model using point supports and for different supports Viz., cylindrical journal bearings, tilting pad journal bearings, offset and three lobe journal bearings. Copyright © 1994 by ASME.