Because of the possibility of new friendships and the busyness of life, we often can take for granted our existing friendships. We may believe that friendships will always remain and not put in an effort to cultivate them, especially when compared to other types of relationships, such as familial and romantic relationships.
Yet, research has shown that friendships are more influential to your well-being and health (both physical and mental) than other relationships and other traditional factors.1,2 Another fascinating study at the University of Virginia had participants stand at the bottom of a large hill and estimate how steep of a walk this would be, as they carried a very heavy backpack. They ultimately found that when the participant was with a friend and could do this task with a friend present, they estimated the incline to be significantly less steep than when the participant was alone. They also found that the length of the friendship was also related to the estimation of the incline, where people who had known each other for longer estimated the incline to be even lower.3,4 Our friendships provide us with support and make us feel more capable of completing challenging tasks.
In her book about friendship, Lydia Denworth proposes that friendships affect health by means of providing social support and acting as an outlet to manage stress. She also reviews various studies to support her argument, which include findings that the number of social ties was significantly influential on one’s mortality, even when controlling for other traditional factors, which included socioeconomic status and other health indicators, such as smoking.5 This has been demonstrated in multiple studies since, like one in a sample of Swedish men, where friendships acted as a protective factor against heart attacks. And on top of that, the absence of social support from friendships was considered as detrimental as those traditional risk factors.6,7
Given how important friendships are for us, I encourage you to text or call an old friend you have not spoken to in a while, hug a friend that is close to you, and finally, tell someone how much they mean to you. Remember that friendships are two-way streets, and as much as you want your friends to love, support, and care for you, you will also need to do the same for them.
Look out for a tip later this term on ways to cultivate meaningful friendships.
Audrey Palmeri received her B.S. in Psychology and Economics from Union College in 2022 and currently works as a research manager at the Well-Being and Measurement Lab with Dr. Louis Tay. Her research interests are widespread and include topics such as attachment, well-being, relationships, emotions, personality, development across the lifespan, risk, and game theory.
References
Roach, A. (2019). A concept analysis of adolescent friendship. Nursing Forum, 54(3), 328–335. https://doi.org/10.1111/nuf.12332
How to Be a Better Friend. (n.d.). Retrieved February 6, 2023, from https://www.nytimes.com/guides/smarterliving/how-to-be-a-better-friend
Parker-Pope, T. (2009, April 20). What Are Friends For? A Longer Life. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/21/health/21well.html
Schnall, S., Harber, K. D., Stefanucci, J. K., & Proffitt, D. R. (2008). Social Support and the Perception of Geographical Slant. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 44(5), 1246–1255. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2008.04.011
Denworth, L. (2020). Friendship: The Evolution, Biology and Extraordinary Power of Life’s Fundamental Bond. W. W. Norton & Company.
Parker-Pope, T. (2009, April 20). What Are Friends For? A Longer Life. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/21/health/21well.html
Orth-Gomér, K., Rosengren, A., & Wilhelmsen, L. (1993). Lack of social support and incidence of coronary heart disease in middle-aged Swedish men. Psychosomatic Medicine, 55(1), 37–43. https://doi.org/10.1097/00006842-199301000-00007
Denworth, L. (2020). Friendship: The Evolution, Biology and Extraordinary Power of Life’s Fundamental Bond. W. W. Norton & Company.
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