This study tested claims that gender differences in intimacy are attributab
le to gender-differentiated experiences in the peer culture (i.e., male and
female 'worlds'). Participants were 188 Canadian preadolescents (10-12 yea
rs, 106 girls) who completed questionnaires regarding the intimacy of their
same-sex best friendship, intimate support received from peers, and two di
mensions of culture-gender composition of the friendship network and partic
ipation in communal (i.e., intimacy-promoting) and agentic (intimacy-repres
sing) activities. Consistent with the 'two worlds' explanation (a) communal
activity participation related positively and team sports to same-sex frie
ndship intimacy, but the latter only for boys, and (b) having other-sex fri
ends predicted same-sex friendship intimacy for boys but not girls. The two
worlds explanation, though supported, requires revision to accommodate fin
dings that male and female preadolescents' activity participation overlappe
d considerably, intimate friendships were not limited to intimate contexts,
agentic activities potentiated both agentic and communal goals, and peer c
ultural variables predicted intimacy better for boys than girls.