This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Griffin, E. Articles by Sparks, G. G. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Friends Forever: A Longitudinal Exploration of Intimacy in Same-Sex Friends and Platonic Pairs

Wheaton College, Illinois

Glenn G. Sparks

Purdue University, Indiana

In this paper, we report on the results of a 4-year longitudinal study that explored predictors of future closeness in nonromantic friendship pairs. Subjects were forty-five pairs representing male-male, female-female, and male-female (platonic) friendships. The first phase of data collection took place in 1983; the follow-up study took place in 1987 and included 93 percent of the original subjects. The results revealed no significant predictors for closeness among female-female or platonic pairs. Several significant predictors emerged for male-male friendships, including status similarity, proficiency at Password, prior room mate status, the number of areas that partners avoided in normal conversation and geographical distance. The results support the notion of overall partner similarity as an important predictor of continued friendship.

Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, Vol. 7, No. 1, 29-46 (1990)
DOI: 10.1177/0265407590071002


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A. M. Ledbetter Media use and relational closeness in long-term friendships: interpreting patterns of multimodality New Media Society, August 1, 2008; 10(4): 547 - 564. [Abstract] [PDF]

				D. K.-S. Chan and G. H.-L. Cheng A Comparison of Offline and Online Friendship Qualities at Different Stages of Relationship Development Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, June 1, 2004; 21(3): 305 - 320. [Abstract] [PDF]

				S. J. Messman, D. J. Canary, and K. S. Hause Motives to Remain Platonic, Equity, and the Use of Maintenance Strategies in Opposite-Sex Friendships Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, February 1, 2000; 17(1): 67 - 94. [Abstract] [PDF]

				M. R. Parks and K. Floyd Meanings for Closeness and Intimacy in Friendship Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, February 1, 1996; 13(1): 85 - 107. [Abstract]

				S. Duck Relationships as Unfinished Business: Out of the Frying Pan and into the 1990s Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, February 1, 1990; 7(1): 5 - 28. [Abstract]

				E. Griffin and G. G. Sparks Some Personal Reflections on Longitudinal Research on Relationships Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, February 1, 1990; 7(1): 135 - 137.