Definition of Friendship - ANSWER • A voluntary interpersonal relationship,
characterized by intimacy in which
o The people involved like each other
o And enjoy each other's company
Communal - ANSWER Focus primarily on sharing time and activities together; provide
emotional support and encouragement; only survive if such support is mutual.
o Both men and women will disclose more to a female
o Women more communal
Agnetic - ANSWER Focus primarily on helping each other achieve practical goals;
available when need arises; not interested in emotional interdependence or mutual
disclosure.
Friends with Benefits - ANSWER • FWB defined as "an opposite sex friend with whom
you have sexual activity, but is not someone you describe as your boyfriend/girlfriend"
o Exploratory study- data collected at MSU
Results- Prevalence of FWBs - ANSWER • 53% of female respondents reported
experienced w/ an FWB
• Range for women for 1-6 FWB relationships
• 59% of male respondents reported experienced w/ FWB
• Range for men was 1-7 FWB relationships
1
,Emotions - ANSWER • Most commonly reported "emotions" linked w/ FWBs:
o #1- happiness
o Falling in love tied with negative uncertainty
o Do not "catch" feelings
o Anger
o Distress about inequity
• Unequal feelings in relationship
• Discomfort
o No sex differences between men and women
Love Types (FWB) - ANSWER • FWB experience was negatively related to Erotic love
type
o One goes up, other goes down
• FWB experience was positively related to Manic and Ludic love types
Outcomes of FWB - ANSWER • 30% still involved
• 38% just friends- no sex
• 25%- not friends at all
• 4% now dating their FWB
Long-Distance Relationships - ANSWER • 90% of people report having at least one long
distance relationship
• 80% of people report having at least one close friend who is long distance
Facts about LDFs - ANSWER • Most frequently cited reason for deterioration of LDF is:
o Geographic separation
• LDFs rarely visit solely for the sake of reuniting
2
, o See each other when some other reason allows for it
Maintaing LDFs - ANSWER • Affected by economic resources
o People w/ economic resources more likely to maintain LDFs
• Accept change as a natural part of their relationship and life
• People who report strong liking more likely to maintain LDFs
o Enjoy knowing each other
o Have great admiration for each other
• Share a sense that they can "pick up where we left off" after being out of touch for awhile
• Have a strong sense of shared history
Friendship Betrayal - ANSWER • Betrayal is the most commonly reported reason for
ending a (general) friendship
• Acts of betrayal: breaking confidences, backstabbing, spreading rumors, or gossiping, or
lying
Outcomes of Betrayal - ANSWER • Overwhelming sense of relationship devaluation
and loss
• Loss of trust, intimacy, and image of your friend
Sequential Influence Techniques - ANSWER • Description → ways that people get
others to do what they want by "setting them up" in a series of communicative moves →
involve more than one conversational "move"; 2 stages
Low Balling - ANSWER • People are induced to make a decision to purchase an item,
agreeing to purchase it then...
• They are informed that the lower price they agreed to can't be offered
• Low-balled customers comply at a significantly higher rate than those who're simply
offered the higher price
3
characterized by intimacy in which
o The people involved like each other
o And enjoy each other's company
Communal - ANSWER Focus primarily on sharing time and activities together; provide
emotional support and encouragement; only survive if such support is mutual.
o Both men and women will disclose more to a female
o Women more communal
Agnetic - ANSWER Focus primarily on helping each other achieve practical goals;
available when need arises; not interested in emotional interdependence or mutual
disclosure.
Friends with Benefits - ANSWER • FWB defined as "an opposite sex friend with whom
you have sexual activity, but is not someone you describe as your boyfriend/girlfriend"
o Exploratory study- data collected at MSU
Results- Prevalence of FWBs - ANSWER • 53% of female respondents reported
experienced w/ an FWB
• Range for women for 1-6 FWB relationships
• 59% of male respondents reported experienced w/ FWB
• Range for men was 1-7 FWB relationships
1
,Emotions - ANSWER • Most commonly reported "emotions" linked w/ FWBs:
o #1- happiness
o Falling in love tied with negative uncertainty
o Do not "catch" feelings
o Anger
o Distress about inequity
• Unequal feelings in relationship
• Discomfort
o No sex differences between men and women
Love Types (FWB) - ANSWER • FWB experience was negatively related to Erotic love
type
o One goes up, other goes down
• FWB experience was positively related to Manic and Ludic love types
Outcomes of FWB - ANSWER • 30% still involved
• 38% just friends- no sex
• 25%- not friends at all
• 4% now dating their FWB
Long-Distance Relationships - ANSWER • 90% of people report having at least one long
distance relationship
• 80% of people report having at least one close friend who is long distance
Facts about LDFs - ANSWER • Most frequently cited reason for deterioration of LDF is:
o Geographic separation
• LDFs rarely visit solely for the sake of reuniting
2
, o See each other when some other reason allows for it
Maintaing LDFs - ANSWER • Affected by economic resources
o People w/ economic resources more likely to maintain LDFs
• Accept change as a natural part of their relationship and life
• People who report strong liking more likely to maintain LDFs
o Enjoy knowing each other
o Have great admiration for each other
• Share a sense that they can "pick up where we left off" after being out of touch for awhile
• Have a strong sense of shared history
Friendship Betrayal - ANSWER • Betrayal is the most commonly reported reason for
ending a (general) friendship
• Acts of betrayal: breaking confidences, backstabbing, spreading rumors, or gossiping, or
lying
Outcomes of Betrayal - ANSWER • Overwhelming sense of relationship devaluation
and loss
• Loss of trust, intimacy, and image of your friend
Sequential Influence Techniques - ANSWER • Description → ways that people get
others to do what they want by "setting them up" in a series of communicative moves →
involve more than one conversational "move"; 2 stages
Low Balling - ANSWER • People are induced to make a decision to purchase an item,
agreeing to purchase it then...
• They are informed that the lower price they agreed to can't be offered
• Low-balled customers comply at a significantly higher rate than those who're simply
offered the higher price
3
