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The surprising science of friendship

The surprising science of friendship

60-Second Science vor 1 Monat

New research challenges assumptions about the kind of friendships we need

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17:56

Friendships are key to our well-being, but what kind of friendships
do we really want? Despite being such a foundational part of the
human experience, the science of friendship is still mysterious.
Assistant professor of psychology Jessica Ayers is trying to fill
in the blanks. While it’s long been assumed that people want either
a few close friends or a large network of friendships, her recent
research shows that many people need a mix of both friendship types
to feel connected. Her research points to new ways we can
understand our own friendship styles and gives insight to the
loneliness epidemic. Recommended Reading: A lot of casual friends,
or only a few you’re really close with? New research questions that
trade‑off Love Isn’t Just about Romance. Here’s How Nonromantic
Bonds Shape Our Lives The Evolutionary Origins of Friendship How
Nostalgia Keeps Friendships Alive E-mail us at
sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or
ideas for stories we should cover! Discover something new everyday:
subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science,
our daily newsletter. Science Quickly is produced by Rachel
Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Allison Rodgers and Jeff DelViscio. This
episode was edited by Alex Sugiura, with fact-checking by Emily
Makowski, Marielle Issa and Aaron Shattuck. Our theme music was
composed by Dominic Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit
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