Are women better at being buddies?
A four-year study by sociologists at The University of Manchester has found that women are much more likely than men to make deep and lasting friendships.
The investigation into social networks by the University’s Research Centre for Socio-Cultural Change found that men are more fickle and calculating about who they should be friends with. Women on the other hand, stand by their friends through thick and thin.
Adding to the bad news for male prestige, the study confirms the stereotype that men are likely to base their friendship on social drinking.
Of the 10,000 individuals studied who took part in the 1992 to 2002 British Household Panel Surveys, women are much more likely to stay with the same friends.
Do you agree with the study’s results, that women are better at being buddies?
Here’s the article about the research study: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/070308075354.htm I think it’s sad if true and hope this changes in the future.
FYI: If you go to the linked article, you’ll see that most of my “question” was directly quoted from the article, including the “prestige part”. It wasn’t something I said, but what the author of the article said, that I quoted.
Maybe you could read the article before assuming that I’m trashing men or women? I guess you missed the part where I said this was sad IF true, and I hoped it changed in the future…thanks for playing.
yes they aaaare! my boyfriend only has friends that he drinks and smokes pot with and i think it’s pathetic. and he’s living with me now and he NEVER sees his friends, which goes to show how good of friends they are. but i have to see my friends atleast once a week. i can talk to them about anything, but guys stick to certain subjects and keep it light and un-emotional.
Yes, I would say women are. I am a guy, and when I was in school I had more friends that were girls than were guys,. Guys have a lot of attitude and macho feeling and are always trying to impress everybody, where girls didn’t try to put on a show and be something they weren’t. And for the most part they were the same ever day and they didn’t change there minds every time somebody else did, they were more real and not a fake, unlike a lot of guys.
I think it might be because we’re a bit more emtional than men and therefore have the tendency to be more committed and caring.
You’ll be surprised at my answer seeing that I am woman saying this. Of course, it all shows my non-bias but whatever.
I think that once the friendship is made (and lets say its based on personality traits and common interests not common needles) that men are more likely to make stronger bonds than women, that is that friendship that men can rely on, perhaps rare but is in fact, more loyal. They are in my opinion, less likely to backstab and be jealous of each other. (‘Tis well known women have a constant competitive subconscious factor and are constantly ruling each other out or sizing each other up as sexual competition)
I thought that it made sense that most (75% by link) people had best friends of the same gender.
I also thought it was interesting that women tended to stay friends, despite moves, marriages, or changes in social status.
Keep in mind, though, sometimes it may be better to have a less meaningful ‘buddy’ who can make time for you tonight then a best friend who lives three states away.
Thank you for pointing out the article.
I think they probably are, but the reason is because men don’t have the time that women have, because they work all the time.
When universities undertake research test results rely on the audience they research.
I would be interested to know what their control group was.
Also who they surveyed to gather their results.
I agree with you that if this is the case it is sad, but all research has to as you know be taken with a pinch of salt.
Interestingly my eldest daughter is reading for her P.hd at Manchester something to do with examining data received from Mars. Slightly outside my field which is based on social inclusion within UK schools.
Yeah right it actually seems opposite. Women seem to be more gossipy or shady than guys. There are gossipy dudes. But if anything it seems like bros, stick together or not deceiving behing each other’s backs. Many aren’t. But if anything it seems that women don’t have as strong as a bond. That whay me and my friends were talking about. Like my friend has broken up friendships with sleeping with his ex gfs, friends. If a girl was truly close this would not happen. And this happens quite a bit among other shady, gossipy things. Like my groups of close friends are like bros, we don;t do that or think of that. And yes there are guys, that do, but they aren;t even friends, but fair weather ones in the first place. A lot of guys do seem to live by the bros before blank motto. We are like bros. So I don;t know about this article, If anythjing it would seem to be the other way. It seems that guys are more loyal.
I dont agree because i come from forces faimly background and in the army men rely on each other to remain alive.
This fosters a bond which is deeper than anything else and outlasts a life time.
If we make an estimate of the number of men in armed forces you wouldnt be able to support this research my dear.
Also a blow to the male prestige is not something to rejoice because your forefathers laid their lives arm in arm with each other on battlefields so that you could have a free life and express your opinions.
And i could also come up with researches on females that could deal a blow to female prestige yet that is not my objective at all.
Men and women are meant to compliment each other otherwise on both sides you have weaknesses.
This is a dissappointment the fact that you mentioned a blow to the male prestige and i dont appreciate this.
Edit:
waswisgirl i was not able to read for the last 24 hours the posts here after i had posted my reply which clearly means you had made it private and blocked me.
Sometimes actions speak louder than words and henceforth i will not be responding to your questions exception being if gender bashing is indulged in then yes there certainly will be fireworks then!!!
So its not required to block someone who respects your intellect sadly he seems to have misjudged the intentions though.
How well someone forms a close friendship depends on the person, and not the gender. I think that this article is based on a rather skewed focus group.
My brother, who is VERY heterosexual, has close friendships with guys that have lasted for decades. They have been there for each other through marriages and divorces, parents passing away, getting and losing jobs, etc.
I also have deep friendships with women and men that have lasted for decades, so I think it has more to do with my family was raised to value friendships, and has nothing to do with our gender.
ROFL…yeah, with all the catty backstabbing they do?
I think the question in itself is sexist and worthless. Once again someone wants to prove which sex is better, which causes conflict and promotes ignorance instead of trying to fix a problem. It’s funny how the article appears in “sciencedaily,” considering that a scientific method requires multiple testing of hypotheses. This one study may have some statistical validity for England, but may have no relevance in the U.S. or other countries with different cultures. Both men and women may stab their friends in the back. Both may return to friends who have stabbed them in the back. Both may have lifelong, respecting friendships with either sex. It depends more on individuals than broad groupings like men verses women.
From my personal experience, couples who love each other make the best buddies, no matter what sex they are.
I don’t think you are trashing men or women. I think that sociologists and psychologists who don’t look at the right questions, and the media who misrepresent those studies and the religious and scientific crowds, create an atmosphere of prejudice.
It seems about equal to me. I am counting in my head the genders of the people I consider to be “lasting buddies”, and it’s dead even, 3 men and 3 women who have been and will probably always be lasting buddies of mine.
When I think about those 6 people’s lasting buddies, they are also pretty even. Taking into consideration my boyfriend’s friends, yes, he has his friends that he drinks and stuff with, but his “lasting” buddies are also equally male and female.
I don’t think it’s necessarily the gender of the person, but their upbringing and/or personality. I personally will stick by a friend if they are going through a hard time and need someone to talk to, but NOT thick and thin. If the friend is treating me poorly and will not take time to listen to how I feel about their treatment, they are gone. My boyfriend is quite the opposite in regards to that. He really WILL stick by a friend who treats him horrible(poor guy!).
YES
From my own personal experience, yes. I have had several very good friends though the years and we are all still good friends. My former husband had a few drinking buddies, but no close friends. My husband the same. His closest friend is his son. My two dearest friends I have had for 33yrs. and 19 yrs. Two other great friends for 10 yrs. We can tell each other anything and support each other in all endeavors. I think women are more open to these kinds of relationships and need them. Men are more private and don’t seem to want to get to close to other men. We hug and kiss each other hello and goodbye. Men don’t want to do that. Maybe they feel it reflects on their sexually. It’s a shame.