COMM CH 12

friendship challenges

1) betrayal 2) geographic separation 3) attraction

10 rules for friendship

1) show support 2) seek support 3) respect privacy 4) keep confidences 5) defend your friends 6) avoid public criticism 7) make your friends happy 8) manage jealousy 9) share humor 10) maintain equity

friendship

A voluntary relationship characterized by intimacy and liking.

At a dinner with friends, Shawn blew up at her friend Caspar for chewing with her mouth open. Which of the following friendship rules has Shawn broken? A. avoid public criticism B. make friends happy C. manage jealousy D. share humor E. maintain equality

A. avoid public criticism

Jerome has just been betrayed by his friend Ali. Which of the following is the most important consideration Jerome should make as he assesses whether or not to continue this friendship? A. if this betrayal revealed something intolerable about Ali B. if he considers Ali's betrayal to be financially harmful C. if he personally did something to cause the betrayal D. whether or not Ali usually follows the friendship rules E. if the betrayal is part of a consistent pattern

A. if this betrayal revealed something intolerable about Ali

All of the following help determine the importance we attribute to friendships throughout our lives EXCEPT A. socioeconomic background. B. age. C. gender. D. life situations. E. None of the options are correct.

A. socioeconomic background.

betrayal

Acts of friendship betrayal include breaking confidences, backstabbing, spreading rumors or gossip, and lying—all of which violate the friendship rules. When friends violate these rules, it's difficult for friendships to survive. Similar to romantic betrayal, friends who are betrayed experience an overwhelming sense of relationship devaluation and loss.

Which of the following is the most significant barrier to forming interethnic friendships? A. language barriers B. perceptual errors C. homophobia D. gender segregation E. fear of the unknown

B. perceptual errors

Jess and Phil have been friends for over a year, but the relationship is on the brink of becoming romantic. Which of the following is the strongest predictor of whether or not they can successfully transition to romance? A. the degree to which each finds the other attractive B. whether Jess and Phil believe that love and friendship are linked C. whether their mutual friends support the new relationship D. the length of their shared personal history together E. none of the options are correct

B. whether Jess and Phil believe that love and friendship are linked

identity support

Behaving in ways that convey understanding, acceptance, and support for a friend's valued social identities.

Which of the following statements about friendship is incorrect? A. People decide with whom they will be friends. B. Self-disclosure is a key component of friendship. C. Friendships generally endure changing interests. D. Friendship is more about mutual "liking" than "loving." E. Friendships are both volatile and fragile.

C. Friendships generally endure changing interests.

Yolanda and Bernice are best friends who are both headed to different colleges. Which of the following statements may predict that their friendship won't survive the separation? A. They share many years of personal history together. B. They both have a great deal of respect for each other. C. They each want the other to stay exactly the same while they're apart. D. They feel a strong sense of warmth and fondness for each other. E. They both describe the other as "the person I'd like to be."

C. They each want the other to stay exactly the same while they're apart.

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of a typical best friend relationship? A. Both friends are the same sex. B. Both friends feel deeply committed to the relationship. C. Both friends provide unconditional support. D. Both friends share all of the same interests and beliefs. E. None of the options are correct.

D. Both friends share all of the same interests and beliefs.

Which of the following is NOT true about friends who survive geographical separation? A. There is affection and respect between the friends. B. They accept change as a natural part of life. C. There is a strong sense of shared history. D. They have endured the separation before. E. None of the options are correct.

D. They have endured the separation before.

Which of the following is an example of a cross-orientation friendship? A. two straight friends, one male and one female B. a Japanese man and an American man C. an African American woman and a Caucasian woman D. a bisexual woman and a straight woman E. two Islamic men

D. a bisexual woman and a straight woman

Which of the following is the most common cause of a friendship ending? A. geographic distance B. attribution errors C. romantic attraction D. betrayal E. peer pressure

D. betrayal

Self-disclosure within a friendship means which of the following? A. sharing all there is to know about yourself B. disclosing information about your friend to other people C. expressing your personal opinions freely, without limits D. sharing thoughts and feelings while respecting boundaries E. all of the options are correct

D. sharing thoughts and feelings while respecting boundaries

Which of the following describes a communal friendship? A. Both friends try to get together as much as possible. B. Each friend offers the other encouragement. C. The friendship involves shared leisure activities. D. Both friends mutually support the relationship. E. All of the options are correct.

E. All of the options are correct.

Friendship rules include all of the following EXCEPT A. show support. B. seek support. C. respect privacy. D. keep confidences. E. be same-sex.

E. be same-sex.

(T/F) A person who has experienced an intercultural friendship in the past is less likely to seek similar relationships in the future.

FALSE

(T/F) Friends who want their friends to always stay the same enjoy more long-term relationships.

FALSE

(T/F) Friends-with-benefits (FWB) usually outlast the strongest of friendships.

FALSE

(T/F) Friendships are more important to women than to men.

FALSE

(T/F) In general, men's friendships are mostly communal.

FALSE

(T/F) Research has shown that on average most people have six close friends.

FALSE

(T/F) Women are more likely than men to report more of a desire for romantic involvement with their platonic friends.

FALSE

agentic friendships

Friendships in which the parties are primarily focused on helping each other achieve practical goals, such as those among peers in a study group or colleagues at work.

FWB relationships

Friendships negotiated to include sexual activity but not with the purpose of transforming the relationship into a romantic attachment.

friendship rules

General principles for appropriate communication and behavior within friendships, such as keeping a confidence and showing support.

(T/F) A friendship requires reciprocal self-disclosure.

TRUE

(T/F) An agentic friendship is one where friends focus on achieving practical goals.

TRUE

(T/F) Best friends provide identity support to each other over time.

TRUE

(T/F) Both men and women have similar reasons for seeking FWB relationships.

TRUE

(T/F) Lack of opportunities to perform activities like sports together is one potential factor that hinders the development of cross-sex friendships among children in North America.

TRUE

(T/F) Most people prefer face-to-face communication for discussing personal topics with their friends.

TRUE

(T/F) Valued social identities are the aspects of your public self that you deem the most important in defining who you are.

TRUE

(T/F) We have greater liberty in choosing our friends than we do in choosing partners for any other relationship type.

TRUE

valued social identities

The aspects of your public self that you deem the most important in defining who you are—for example, musician, athlete, poet, dancer, teacher, or mother.

communal friendships

Voluntary relationships focused on sharing time and activities together.

cross-category friendships

Voluntary relationships that cross demographic lines.

interethnic friendships

a bond between people who share the same cultural background (for example, American) but who are of different ethnic groups (African American, Asian American, Euro-American, and so forth).

characteristics of friendship

friendship is... voluntary driven by shared interests characterized by self-disclosure rooted in liking volatile (changing)

cross-orientation friendships

friendships between lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, or queer (LGBTQ) people and straight men or women.

intercultural friendships

friendships between people from different cultures or countries.

cross-sex friendships

friendships between people of different genders.

maintenance strategies

sharing activities and self-disclosure