Girlfriend, boyfriend: Age and sex differences in intimate friendship.
Authors:
Sharabany, Ruth. U Haifa, Israel
Gershoni, Ruth
Hofman, John E.
Source:
Developmental Psychology, Vol 17(6), Nov, 1981. pp. 800-808.
NLM Title Abbreviation:
Dev Psychol
Publisher:
US : American Psychological Association
ISSN:
0012-1649 (Print)
1939-0599 (Electronic)
Language:
English
Keywords:
ratings of intimate friendship with same- vs opposite-sex friend, 5th vs 7th vs 9th vs 11th graders
Abstract:
Investigated changes in intimate friendship with same- and opposite-sex friends in preadolescence and
adolescence, using the Intimacy Scale. Ss were Israeli children from the 5th, 7th, 9th, and 11th grades
(60 boys and 60 girls from each grade), who rated their friendship with a same- or opposite-sex best
friend. There was a significant age difference in overall intimacy with same-sex friends. Frankness and
spontaneity, knowing and sensitivity, attachment, exclusiveness, and giving and sharing were factors
that changed with age. Trust and loyalty, and taking and imposing did not. Oppositesex friendship revealed a significant increase in intimacy with age. Boys and girls did not differ in
reported opposite-sex friendship in the 5th and 7th grades, whereas girls in the 9th and 11th grades
reported higher intimacy than did boys. This sex-by-age pattern of interaction was particularly evident
for attachment and for trust and loyalty. Girls were higher in knowing and sensitivity, giving and sharing,
and taking and imposing. The implications for further differentiation among types of peer relations and
interrelation of dyadic friendship and cognitive growth are discussed. (42 ref) (PsycINFO Database
Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)
Document Type:
Journal Article
Subjects:
*Friendship; *Human Sex Differences; *Intimacy; *Peer Relations; *Psychosocial Development
PsycINFO Classification:
Psychosocial & Personality Development (2840)
Population:
Human
Age Group:
Childhood (birth-12 yrs)
School Age (6-12 yrs)
Adolescence (13-17 yrs)
Format Covered:
Print
Publication Type:
Journal; Peer Reviewed Journal
Release Date:
20060329
Copyright:
American Psychological Association. 1981
Digital Object Identifier:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0012-1649.17.6.800
PsycARTICLES Identifier:
dev-17-6-800
Accession Number:
1982-05587-001
Number of Citations in Source:
46