Chapter 13: Friendships

Peers

- relatively same level of intelligence
- same status
- same age

friends

a person whom an individual has an intimate, reciprocated, positive relationship with
- smaller group of individuals

determinants of friendship

- sociable, similarity of interest and behavior and age
- similar level of cognitive maturity, academic motivations, and school activities
- proximity (important for young children especially)

Friendships in infancy

display peer preference by smiling and engaging in positive interaction

Friendships in early childhood

- make and maintain peer friendships
- "best friends"
- same-gender play preference

Friendships in later childhood

take care of friends' physical and material needs, general assistance, and help

Friendships in adolescence

- important source of intimacy and self-disclosure
- honest feedback
- less stable

The role of technology in friendships

- greater anonymity
- less emphasis on physical appearance
- more control over interactions
- finding similar peers

Cyberbullying

repeated and intentional harassment or mistreatment of an individual via digital devices such as cell phones, computers, and tablets

Who is bullied?

- 15% of high school students
- likely high in social anxiety, psychological distress, and depression symptoms
- gay, lesbian, and bisexual students twice as likely as heterosexual students

Who bullies?

- 12% of teens
- believe that aggression is an acceptable problem-solving tool
- classroom environments that accept bullying

The possible costs of friendship

- aggression and disruptiveness
- alcohol and substance abuse
- bullying and victimization

Support and Validation

provide when a child feels lonely, during difficult periods of transition that involve peers

Social and cognitive skill development

- help develop social skills and positive relationships with other people, cooperation, negotiation skills
- leads to positive social outcomes in later years, including adulthood

Rish-Get-Richer Hypothesis

- people with higher extraversion or lower social anxiety are better at using the internet as another mechanism to build their social circles
- extraverted individuals can make more friends online than introverted ones

Social-Compensation Hypothesis

individuals who experience high levels of anxiety in face-to-face social situations will find it easier to engage in social interaction over the Internet