1. 1 Psychology 320: Gender Psychology Lecture 34

2. 2 Announcements 1. The 12th Annual UBC Psychology Undergraduate Conference is scheduled for: April 10 th, 9am-5pm, in the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre. Deadline for applications for an oral presentation or poster presentation: January 29 th (application package available at www.psych.ubc.ca/~psa).www.psych.ubc.ca/~psa Keynote speakers: Edna Fiedler and Walter Sipes, "Hitchhiker's Guide to Aerospace Psychology: The International Space Station."

3. 3 2. Kwantlen’s Psychology Department (Richmond campus) will host Connecting Minds 2010: The North American Undergraduate Research Conference in Psychology on June 4 th and 5 th. Keynote speaker: Albert Bandura. “Going Global with Social Cognitive Theory.” Information and application information for talks or poster presentations is available at: www.connectingminds.ca. www.connectingminds.ca

4. 4 3. The Faculty of Arts has announced the following initiative: Travel and Learn Abroad Award for Students (ATLAAS) The award is funded by the Dean of Arts as part of a commitment to the UBC Plan, Place and Promise, to promote international engagement. ATLAAS awards of up to $2,500 are available to undergraduate Arts students for international learning experiences. Deadline for application: March 15 th (application information available at: http://www.arts.ubc.ca/students/degree-planning- advising/scholarships.html#atlaas) http://www.arts.ubc.ca/students/degree-planning- advising/scholarships.html#atlaas

5. 5 Friendship: 1. How do cross-sex friendships differ from same-sex friendships? 2. What unique challenges do cross-sex friendships face?

6. 6 How do cross-sex friendships differ from same-sex friendships? Although cross-sex friendships are not uncommon, both males and females have fewer cross-sex friendships than same-sex friendships. For both sexes, the number of cross-sex friendships and time spent with cross-sex friendships increases from childhood to young adulthood:

7. 7  Among college students, women and men report that 27% of their closest friends are of the opposite sex (Sheets & Lugar, 2005).  Among college students, 30% of women and 40% of men are able to identify at least one friend of the opposite sex (Wright, 1989).  Among adolescents, 52% of girls and 41% of boys reported a cross-sex friend as one of their closest friends (Kuttler et al., 1999).  Cross-sex friendships are rare in childhood.

8. 8 Time Spent with Same-Sex and Cross-Sex Friends as a Function of Age (Johnson, 2004)

9. 9 Feminine men and masculine women are most likely to have cross-sex friends (Reeder, 2003). A number of studies have contrasted self-disclosure and closeness in same-sex and cross-sex friendships. These studies have shown that: In old age, however, males are more likely than females to have cross-sex friends due to the higher mortality rate of males.

10. 10 1. Although females engage in greater self-disclosure with same-sex friends, males engage in greater self-disclosure with cross-sex friends. Possible explanations: Female-as-opener hypothesis; reciprocity hypothesis. 2. Although females describe their same-sex friendships and cross-sex friendships as similar in closeness, males describe their cross-sex friendships as closer than their same-sex friendships.

11. 11 Meaningfulness of Interactions “Meaningfulness” of Same-Sex and Cross-Sex Friendship Interactions by Sex (Wheeler et al., 1983)

12. 12 Consistent with these results, studies indicate that males derive several unique benefits from cross-sex friendships. Specifically, males report that they:  receive greater esteem support from cross-sex friends than same-sex friends (Kuttler et al., 1999).  derive greater emotional support from cross-sex friends than same-sex friends (Werking, 1997).  find cross-sex friendships to be more rewarding than same-sex friendships (Thomas & Daubman, 2001).

13. 13 Studies indicate that females also derive unique benefits from cross-sex friendships. Specifically, females report that cross-sex friendships provide:  relief from the “intensity” of same-sex friendships; females experience more conflict in same-sex friendships than cross-sex friendships (Werking, 1997).  physical protection (Bleske-Rechek & Buss, 2001). Nevertheless, research has demonstrated that males prefer more cross-sex friends than females (Bleske- Rechek & Buss, 2001).

14. 14 Although cross-sex friendships benefit both sexes, they face a number of challenges (O’Meara, 1989): What unique challenges do cross-sex friendships face? 1. Emotional bond challenge. 4. Sexual challenge. 2. Equality challenge. 3. Audience challenge. 5. Opportunity challenge.

15. 15 Research has examined the extent to which university students confront these challenges in cross-sex friendships:  Emotional bond challenge: most problematic (Monsour et al., 1994).  Equality challenge: least problematic (Monsour et al., 1994).  Audience challenge: F > M; related to self- monitoring (Monsour et al., 1994; Wright & Scanlon, 1991).

16. 16  Sexual challenge: ◦ Among university students, 28% report sexual interest in a cross-sex friend; of these individuals, 14% report romantic interest in their cross-sex friend (Reeder, 2000). ◦ Males are more likely to report sexual interest in a cross-sex friend than females (d=.45, Bleske- Rechek & Buss, 2001).

17. 17 ◦ One-sided attraction is more common among males than females. However, one-sided attraction among females is more likely to lead to sex than one-sided attraction among males (Bleske & Buss, 2000). ◦ Sex between cross-sex friends is relatively common; 51% of university students have had sex in the past with a platonic cross-sex friend. Of those individuals, 56% reported having sex with more than one cross-sex friend (Afifi & Faulkner, 2000).

18. 18 ◦ 67% of university students who have had sex with a cross-sex friend indicate that the quality of the relationship improved after having sex (Afifi & Faulkner, 2000). ◦ Among those who are sexually attracted to cross- sex friends, the primary reasons for not pursuing a sexual relationship are: avoiding a “break up,” avoiding social disapproval, and avoiding being hurt (Messman et al., 2000).

19. 19 Friendship: 1. How do cross-sex friendships differ from same-sex friendships? 2. What unique challenges do cross-sex friendships face?