A new study finds that feelings of attraction between opposite-sex friends is more a burden than a benefit.
TUESDAY, Sept. 11, 2012 — Can men and women just be friends? Maybe not, according to a study from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. Researchers found that attraction is common between people in opposite-sex friendships, and these feelings can cause problems, especially if one of the “friends” is in a romantic relationship with someone else.
When participants were asked to list pluses and minuses of having opposite-sex friends, 32 percent said feelings of attraction were a drawback, while 6 percent said these feelings were a benefit.
Forty-seven percent of the women ages 18 to 23 listed attraction as a negative attribute of an opposite-sex friendship, while 22 percent of men felt the same.
The gender gap closed a bit when participants were asked if jealousy on the part of a significant other was a cost of maintaining their opposite-sex friendship; 38 percent of women said yes, and 25 percent of the men agreed.
In addition, feelings of attraction towards a friend appear to have an adverse effect on feelings towards the participants' mates: Younger females and middle-aged participants who reported more attraction to an opposite-sex friend reported less satisfaction in their romantic relationship.
The researchers think interacting with a member of the opposite sex triggers instinctual mating strategies.
“Our findings implicate attraction in cross-sex friendship as both common and of potential negative consequence for individuals’ long-term mateships,” the researchers wrote in the study, published in the August issue of the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships
Were you or your ex adopted? Have you ever wanted to know about how adoption impacts people? Their relationships? And what being adopted was like?
WE RECOMMEND THE VIDEO: Adoptees And Relationships (How Adoption Impacts Relationships)
.
Tell us: Do you think men and women can just be friends? Let us know about your experience with opposite-sex friendships in the comments below. (Note: Users will not be able to comment on mobile devices).
Saturday, 22 December 2018