Beyond intimacy: Conceptualizing sex differences in same-sex friendships

This study was designed to replicate and extend prior findings that same-se x friendships of women and men are equally important but that women's frien dships are more intimate. A group of adolescents and a group of adults were asked to complete an anonymous questionnaire regarding the quality of thei r close friendships, the degree to which they would support a close friend in times of difficulty, and the degree to which they would celebrate with a friend in times of success. Results demonstrated that both females and mal es saw and spoke with their dose friends and were equally willing to confro nt and trust their close friends. Females, however, reported more desire to spend time with a close friend in times of difficulty and to celebrate wit h a close friend who had just experienced a positive event. Results are dis cussed in terms of the differing functions of women's and men's same-sex fr iendships and women's greater general interest in and attention to transiti ons in the lives of other individuals.