Women and Men As Friends: Relationships Across the Life Span in the 21st Century (Volume in Lea's Series on Personal Relationships)

This monograph studies women and men as friends from a developmental perspective. Women and Men as Friends examines cross-sex friendships from early childhood through old age, then summarizes the findings and offers recommendations on how friendship between males and females can be encouraged throughout the life span. In each chapter three themes are documented and applied to the corresponding stage of life: *Cross-sex friendships enrich an individual's social network in generic and unique ways. *Social and structural barriers interfere with the formation of cross-sex friendships in every stage of life. *Cross-sex friendships affect and are affected by an individual's ongoing social construction of self throughout the life cycle. The primary audience for the volume is scholars and students in personal relationship study (interpersonal communication, social psychology, sociology) with a secondary audience of scholars in family studies, developmental psychology, and clinical psychologists. The book can also be used as a supplemental text in graduate and undergraduate courses for the relevant disciplines. The Importance Of Friendship To Individuals Is Well Established And Accepted By Academic, Professional, And Lay Communities. However, Cross-sex Friendships - Nonromantic Friendships Between Males And Females - Have Received Little Attention By Scholars And Have Been Understudied In Academic Communities. This Book Fills That Gap In Its Examination Of The Friendships Between Women And Men Of All Ages, Considering These Friendships Across The Life Span And Focusing On How These Friendships Influence The Self-concepts Of The Individuals In Them. Author Michael Monsour Provides A Literature Review Of Empirical Studies And Conceptual Treatises That Focus On Cross-sex Friendships In Early Childhood, Middle/late Childhood, Adolescence, Adulthood, And Old Age. He Develops A Theoretical Framework For Understanding The Cognitive And Communicative Connections Between Cross-sex Friendships And Self-concept Development Across The Life Cycle. This Distinctive Volume Will Be Of Interest To Scholars And Students In Relationship Study, Friendship, And Gender, And Is Also Appropriate For Cognitive Psychology, Early Childhood Development, Adolescence, And Gerontology Audiences.--jacket. 1. Cross-sex Friendships And The Social Construction Of Self Across The Life Span -- 2. Cross-sex Friendships In Early Childhood (18 Months To 6 Years Of Age) -- 3. Cross-sex Friendships In Middle And Late Childhood (7 To 11 Years Of Age) -- 4. Cross-sex Friendships In Adolescence (12 To 17 Years Of Age) -- 5. Cross-sex Friendships In Adulthood (18 To 64 Years Of Age) -- 6. Cross-sex Friendships In Old Age (65 Years Of Age And Up) -- 7. Cross-sex Friendships And Self-concepts From The Cradle To The Grave. Michael Monsour. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 231-262) And Indexes. "The importance of friendship to individuals is well established and accepted by academic, professional, and lay communities. However, cross-sex friendships - nonromantic friendships between males and females - have received little attention by scholars and have been understudied in academic communities. This book fills that gap in its examination of the friendships between women and men of all ages, considering these friendships across the life span and focusing on how these friendships influence the self-concepts of the individuals in them.". "Author Michael Monsour provides a literature review of empirical studies and conceptual treatises that focus on cross-sex friendships in early childhood, middle/late childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and old age. He develops a theoretical framework for understanding the cognitive and communicative connections between cross-sex friendships and self-concept development across the life cycle. This distinctive volume will be of interest to scholars and students in relationship study, friendship, and gender, and is also appropriate for cognitive psychology, early childhood development, adolescence, and gerontology audiences."--BOOK JACKET. Book Cover......Page 1 Title......Page 4 Copyright......Page 5 Contents......Page 8 Series Editor's Foreword......Page 10 Preface......Page 14 1 Cross-Sex Friendships and the Social Construction of Self Across the Life Span......Page 18 2 Cross-Sex Friendships in Early Childhood: (18 months to 6 years of age)......Page 44 3 Cross-Sex Friendships in Middle and Late Childhood: (7 to 11 years of age)......Page 80 4 Cross-Sex Friendships in Adolescencev: (12 to 17 years of age)......Page 111 5 Cross-Sex Friendships in Adulthood: (18 to 64 years of age)......Page 146 6 Cross-Sex Friendships in Old Age: (65 years of age and up)......Page 183 7 Cross-Sex Friendships and Self-Concepts From the “Cradle to the Grave”......Page 214 References......Page 248 Author Index......Page 280 Subject Index......Page 290 Studies women and men as friends using a developmental perspective. The text examines cross-sex friendships from early childhood through to old age, then summarizes the findings and offers recommendations on how friendship between males and females can be encouraged throughout the life span Cross-sex friendships (i.e., nonromantic relationships between persons of different sexes) occupy an unusual place in the relational fabric of society.