Simone Lawson
Friendship is a unique form of interpersonal relationship that is often characterized by voluntary, personal, equality, involvement, and affect. The development of friendships can be divided into several stages, each with its own distinct communicative norms and behaviors. In the initial Role-Limited Interaction or Role Delimited Interaction stage, individuals interact based on their social roles, such as students or colleagues, and communication tends to be superficial and limited in self-disclosure. As the relationship progresses to the Friendly Relations stage, individuals move beyond their initial roles and start to exhibit communication behaviors that indicate a shift towards a more personalized friendship, such as increasing levels of self-disclosure and trust. The Moving Towards Friendship stage is marked by a commitment to spend more time together and further deepening of the bond through self-disclosure. In the Stabilized Friendship stage, friends take each other for granted in a positive sense, assuming continuity in their relationship, and communication is characterized by a high level of trust and self-disclosure. Throughout these stages, individuals with higher social communicative competencies tend to experience greater friendship satisfaction and commitment. Furthermore, certain communication technologies, such as mobile phone-based channels, have been found to be associated with increased friendship closeness.
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What You'll Learn
Friendship development stages
Friendship development can be broadly understood through several stages. While there are variations in the number of stages, a common framework includes six stages: role-limited interaction, friendly relations, moving toward friendship, nascent friendship, stabilized friendship, and waning friendship.
The first stage, role-limited interaction, involves interacting with others based on social roles, such as meeting a classmate or a colleague. Communication at this stage tends to be superficial and follows scripts and stereotypes associated with these roles.
The second stage, friendly relations, is marked by communication that transcends initial roles as individuals explore common interests and begin to form a connection.
During the third stage, moving toward friendship, individuals make efforts to foster a more personalized friendship. They may start meeting outside their usual setting, increasing self-disclosure, and building trust.
The fourth stage, nascent friendship, is when individuals commit to spending more time together and developing norms for their interactions. They set parameters for their friendship, such as topics of conversation and frequency of interaction.
In the fifth stage, stabilized friendship, the friendship is solid, and there is an assumption of continuity. Friends feel comfortable revealing more about themselves, and the relationship is characterized by a deep sense of trust.
The final stage, waning friendship, occurs when the friendship naturally fades or dissolves. This can happen for various reasons, such as growing apart or changes in circumstances. It's important to note that not all friendships progress linearly through these stages, and some may repeat or overlap.
Additionally, children's friendships tend to follow distinct stages as they learn about social interactions and cooperation. These stages include momentary playmates, two-way fair-weather cooperation, intimate mutually shared relationships, and mature friendship. Children's ideas about friendship evolve as they grow, and their skills in maintaining friendships also develop over time.
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Self-disclosure
Role-Limited Interaction and Friendly Relations
The initial stage of friendship, known as Role-Limited Interaction, involves interacting with others based on shared social roles, such as students, coworkers, or neighbours. During this stage, self-disclosure is limited, and conversations tend to focus on superficial topics related to the specific roles. This initial phase of friendship lays the foundation for future connections and helps individuals determine if they want to pursue a deeper relationship.
Moving Towards Friendship
As individuals move towards friendship, they begin to increase their levels of self-disclosure. They share more personal information, thoughts, and feelings, allowing the friendship to evolve beyond superficial topics. This stage is crucial for building trust and fostering a sense of closeness. It requires mutual vulnerability and the willingness to step outside the comfort zone of role-limited interactions.
Nascent Friendship
The nascent stage of friendship marks a significant shift in the relationship. Friends are no longer bound by their original roles and associated stereotypes. They establish unique norms for their communication, including what they talk about, when they talk, and how they interact. Self-disclosure plays a pivotal role in this stage, as individuals feel more comfortable revealing different aspects of themselves to each other.
Stabilized Friendship
In the Stabilized Friendship stage, the bond between friends is solid, and there is an assumption of continuity. Friends take each other for granted, not in a negative sense, but with the understanding that their friendship will endure. This stage is characterized by a deep sense of trust and comfort, enabling even higher levels of self-disclosure. Friends feel secure in sharing their innermost thoughts and experiences, knowing that their friendship can withstand differences and challenges.
Waning Friendship
Despite the strength of a stabilized friendship, external factors or life changes can lead to a decrease in communication and connection, marking the Waning Friendship stage. This stage may arise from life events such as moving away, changes in life priorities, or the presence of conflicting interests or values. While self-disclosure may decrease during this stage, friends who have experienced deep levels of self-disclosure in the past are more likely to withstand the challenges and maintain their friendship, even if the nature of their interactions changes.
Impact of Self-Disclosure on Friendship Satisfaction
The level of self-disclosure in a friendship directly impacts the satisfaction and commitment experienced by friends. Analisa Arroyo and Chris Segrin's research found that lower levels of communication competence, including self-disclosure, resulted in reduced friendship satisfaction and commitment. On the other hand, higher levels of self-disclosure contribute to stronger bonds, increased trust, and a deeper sense of commitment in a best friendship.
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Social communicative competencies
The social communicative competencies that constitute commitment in a best friendship are developed through continued interactions with others throughout our lifespans. Friendship researchers Kenneth Rubin and Linda Rose-Krasnor refer to these as the "ability to achieve personal goals in social interaction while simultaneously maintaining positive relationships."
The development of these social competencies begins with role-limited interaction, where we interact with others based on our social roles, such as student, shopper, or salesperson. These interactions are typically superficial and rely on scripts and stereotypes. As we move towards friendship, we start to exhibit four specific communication behaviors identified by Rawlins: moving away from what is required in the specific role relationship, increasing levels of self-disclosure, forming bonds of trust, and fostering a more personalized friendship. This is followed by the nascent stage of friendship, where friends are no longer interacting within their original roles and start to develop norms for their communication, such as what, when, and how they talk.
As the friendship stabilizes, friends take each other for granted in a positive way, assuming the friendship will continue. Communication in this stage is characterized by increased self-disclosure and a sense of trust, with each person feeling more comfortable revealing parts of themselves to the other. This stage can continue indefinitely, even if friends are not in each other's lives daily.
Individuals with lower levels of social communicative competencies may experience problems in their day-to-day interactions and report lower levels of friendship satisfaction and commitment. Thus, developing these competencies is crucial for maintaining strong, committed friendships.
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Communication channels
The first stage, known as "Role-Limited Interaction" or "Role Delimited Interaction", involves interactions based on social roles, such as student or colleague. Communication at this stage tends to be superficial and follows scripts and stereotypes associated with these roles.
As the friendship evolves into the "Friendly Relations" stage, communication moves beyond initial roles as individuals explore common interests and begin to develop a more personalized connection. This is followed by the "Moving Toward Friendship" stage, where individuals increase self-disclosure, forming bonds of trust and fostering a deeper sense of commitment.
The "Nascent Friendship" stage marks a significant shift as friends are no longer bound by their original roles. They establish unique norms for their communication, including what, when, and how they talk. This stage involves a mutual commitment to spending more time together and marks a transition towards a stabilized friendship.
In the "Stabilized Friendship" stage, friends take each other for granted in a positive sense, assuming a continuity of their friendship. Communication is characterized by increased self-disclosure and a high level of trust. This stage can persist throughout a lifetime, even if friends don't interact daily.
In terms of specific communication channels, mobile phone-based communication, such as calls and texts, has been found to be strongly associated with friendship closeness. Additionally, social media platforms like Facebook can facilitate relational maintenance strategies, including social contact and relational assurances, which contribute to relationship satisfaction and commitment.
Overall, the development of a best friendship is intricately tied to the evolution of communication channels, from role-limited interactions to the deep trust and self-disclosure characteristic of stabilized friendships.
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Friendship definitions
Friendship is a complex concept that has been studied by scholars and researchers from various fields, including communication and psychology. While there is no universally agreed-upon definition of "friendship", several models and theories have been proposed to understand the nature and development of friendships.
One influential model is provided by William K. Rawlins, a communication scholar who identifies five essential characteristics of friendships: voluntary, personal, equality, involvement, and affect. These characteristics differentiate friendships from other forms of interpersonal relationships. Rawlins further breaks down friendship into two large categories of dialectical tensions: contextual (private/public and ideal/real) and interactional (independence/dependence, affection/instrumentality, judgment/acceptance, and expressiveness/protectiveness).
The development of friendships can also be understood through a series of stages. The first stage is often referred to as Role-Limited Interaction or "Role-Delimited Interaction", where individuals interact based on their social roles, such as student, colleague, or neighbour. Communication during this stage tends to be superficial and limited in self-disclosure.
The second stage is "Friendly Relations", where individuals move beyond initial roles and start to explore common interests. They begin to interact outside of their designated roles, and the communication becomes more personalized.
The third stage, "Moving Toward Friendship", involves increasing levels of self-disclosure, allowing individuals to form bonds of trust. This stage is crucial for fostering a more personalized friendship.
The fourth stage, "Nascent Friendship", is marked by a commitment to spending more time together. Friends establish norms for their communication, deciding what, when, and how they talk to each other.
The fifth stage, "Stabilized Friendship", is characterized by a sense of trust and comfort. Friends take each other for granted in a positive way, assuming the friendship will continue. This stage can last indefinitely, with friends feeling comfortable revealing more about themselves to each other.
The final stage, "Waning Friendship", signifies the potential end of the friendship or a decrease in the level of closeness.
It is important to note that these stages are not linear and may vary across different friendships. Additionally, the nature of friendship and the way it is defined can be influenced by cultural norms, personal experiences, and individual differences.
In conclusion, while a precise definition of "friendship" may be elusive, scholars have provided valuable insights into the characteristics and developmental stages of friendships. These models help us understand the complex dynamics of friendship and the role of communication in fostering and maintaining these relationships.
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