Friendships Flashcards
Key features of friendship- NEWCOMB AND BAGWELL
reciprocal/ intimacy/ more intense social activity/ more frequent conflict resolution/ more effective task performance.
BUKOWSKI-
companionship/help/ security/ closeness/ low conflict
Interacting within friends
differences in pretend play and more communication
more conflict resolution (FONZI)
task performance problem solving and discuss ideas critique constructively(AZMITIA AND MONTGOMERY)
how do friendships change with age- preschool
preschool (3-4 years) start of stable friendships
These are instrumental relationships ( about liking the same things, time together, shared activities)
conflict around toddlers is around access to objects and difference of opinions- develop socially coordinating skills- pretend play is also a vital feature
how friendships change with age- middle childhood
moves to a intimate relationship- having similar attitudes and values, caring loyalty and trust are central features of these friendships
Friendship expectations change- (BIGELOW AND LA GAIPA go through friendship changes)
we also see issues with bullying , victimisation, and aggression
How friendships change with age- adolescence
big focus on intimacy (being able to talk to people for example so self disclosure and emotional support very important)
groups based on values and beliefs rather than shared activities
fairly stable at this age
romantic relationships will begin
Difference in friendships
quality over quantity
aggressive children have aggressive friends and less stable friendships and fewer friends
socially withdrawn children have poor quality of friendships
predictors of friendship- temperament, attachment, ability to regulate emotions
RESEARCH ON FRIENDSHIPS
BAGWELL
Peer rejection (middle childhood) linked to poor life standard, mental health symptoms friendships (middle childhood) linked to family relations and self esteem
BIGELOW AND LA GAIPA 1980-
studied friendships in 6-14 year olds.
6-8 year olds = common activities, living nearby, having similar expectations
9-10= shared values and rules became more important
11-12= understanding, self disclosure, and shared interests
Here through middle school you see a shift from physical to psychological aspects in friendship
Hasalegar et al 1998-
study on pupils 9-13 years
found children were most similar to their friends to thier non friends on a range of characteristics such as being cooperative, shy, helpful , sociable. this effect was seen when they rated themselves and when classmates rated them.
Sullivan 1953- view on importance of friendship
believed having atleast one friend was vital for pre-adolescence children and without this a child may be lonely, lack feelings of self worth, putting them at a higher risk for later mental health and maladjustment
Newcomb and Bagwell 1995- friends vs non friends features
friends play together more
more reciprocity and intimacy in interactions
more frequent conflict resolutions between friends
more effective task performance in cooperative tasks-friends help each other.
Fonzi et al- friends vs non friend studies
8 year old italian children
friendship pairs went through a number of tasks compared to a pair of non friends doing the same task. E.G. tasks where sharing had to take place.
the friends pair did much better spending more time negotiating and willing to make compromises
Parker and ASHER - lack of friends effect
Reviewed studies on peer relationships and later outcomes
found i high link between those who had few friends and those who later dropped out of school, being involved in juvenile and adult crime,
Friendship and later wellbeing- Bagwell, Newcomb and Bukowski (1998),
study of 10 year olds and contacted them again at 23 years old.
FINDINGS- peer rejection at school was an indicator for poorer quality of later life including life status, job aspirations, extent of social activities.
Friendship rather than peer rejection that led to adult low self esteem.
Lack of a close friend and peer rejection leads to negative wellbeing effects
