Friendship is a social relationship of reciprocal personal affection between two individuals or groups. It’s often described as a more intense form of emotional bond than a romantic relationship and is frequently studied in academic disciplines like communication, psychology, sociology, interpersonal interaction, and anthropology. For example, David Steele states in his book, The Essence of Friendship, that friendship is the “great equalizer.” The ability to create and cultivate friendships, Steele contends, is the key to success in life.

  • In our focus on childhood development, however, friends also play a vital role.
  • Research from the Journal of Abnormal Psychology indicates that friendships develop at different rates for different age groups.
  • One study, for example, found that middle childhood friends developed significantly quicker than high school friends, by the end of the year.
  • On the other hand, friendships deteriorated significantly for those with friends in high school, indicating a lack of trust and social capital.

How can we be a true friend? Is there really a such a thing as a friend? Is there such a thing as a true friendship? There are actually several definitions of friendship, ranging from platonic love to a more enduring relationship characterized by friendship platitudes.

platonic friendship stems from sharing similar interests. True friends share many common interests, but are usually unwilling to engage in sexual relationships. platonic friends may also be frustrated by other people’s shortcomings, but they do not pursue a relationship with these people based on their faults. True friends are usually attracted to each other because of their similarities, not differences. They see beauty in the person rather than what they have or might have, or they seek out the positives in others rather than the negatives. platonic friends often find themselves spending time together and exchanging presents, rather than one-sidedly focusing on the negatives of others.

Friendship is built on admiration and respect; Often times, friends will choose to spend time alone together and let us share our thoughts and feelings without being critical. They do not criticize or condemn the other person in a way that would cause harm to them or others. A deep friendship is one where a person lets others know how deeply they admire or respect that person, then works with that person to build meaningful relationships.

So what does it mean to be a true friend? It means that you care about the other person’s best interest, then do everything you can to ensure that they are happy, well-respected, successful, and happy. It also means that you will hang out with them, talk to them, invite them to parties, and even invite them to your children’s weddings.

 

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