This paper presents the findings of four studies on the rules of friendship. Studies I and 11 established the strength of endorsement of 43 friendship rules in British, Italian, Hong Kong and Japanese samples. Study Ill found differences in reported rule-keeping between sustained and lapsed friendships by self and other, and between sustained relationships rated high and low in quality. Study IV examined the role of rule breaking in friendship breakdown, and dissolution of friendship was attributed to the breaking of a number of our endorsed rules. Six rules were endorsed as very important in Study I and distinguished between behaviour in lapsed and current friendships; also relationship breakdown was related to failure to keep to these rules. They dealt mainly with the exchange of rewards and intimacy. Dissolution of friendships was also attributed to the breaking of third party rules.

The continued drive for increased efficiency, performance and reduced costs for industrial gas turbine engines demands extended use of high strength-high temperature capability materials, such as nickel based superalloys. To satisfy the requirements of the component design and manufacturing engineers these materials must be capable of being welded in a satisfactory manner. The present paper describes the characteristic defects found as a result of welding the more difficult, highly alloyed materials and reviews a number of welding processes used in the manufacture and repair of nickel alloy components. These include gas tungsten arc (GTA) and electron beam (EB) welding, laser powder deposition and friction welding. Many of the more dilute nickel based alloys are readily weldable using conventional GTA processes, however, high strength, precipitation hardened materials are prone to heat affected zone and strain age cracking defect formation. A number of factors are found to affect the propensity for defects: composition (aluminium and titanium content), grain size, pre and post-weld heat treatment, as well as the welding process itself (control of heat input and traverse speed). Process parameter identification is still largely empirical and a fuller understanding of the joining processes is dependent upon the development and application of more sophisticated numerical modelling techniques.

A British study of the informal rules of 22 social relationships was replicated among Japanese, Hong Kong and Italian samples. Subjects were asked to rate the importance of 33 common and varylng numbers of relationship-specific rules to each of these relationships on a 9-point bipolar scale. Multivariate analyses showed each culture has a structure of highly endorsed rules, although a number of cross-cultural differences emerged in the nature of these rules, particularly those relating to intimacy. Certain cross-cultural predictions were confirmed.Requests for reprints should be sent to M. Argyle, Task Interpersonal -Providing rewards e.g., should g v e e.g., should volunteer emotional support help Avoiding conflicts c.g., should not be e.g., should cooperate jealous of other relationships over shared environmentIt is useful to distuigsh between friendship and other bonds, where the relationship is primary and there is little or no task, and working relationships, in which the task is primary. Even here, however, the social relationships or 'secondary system' as Homans (1950) called it, are very important. M. Argyle el al. / Cultural variations in relationship rules289 Argyle et al. (1985) examined rules over a range of relationships, varying from the highly intimate, such as husband-wife, to taskfocussed relations, such as doctor-patient or teacher-pupil. These included friendship, hierarchical and peer work relationships, neighbours, dating and cohabiting, kin and inlaws, to conflict relations with a disliked individual. Males and females in two age groups were asked to rate the importance of the rules to these relationships on a bipolar scale ranging from 'Rule very important' through 'Rule does not apply' to 'Opposite of stated rule very important'.Four main findings emerged. First, all relationships were characterised by a structure of highly endorsed rules, and there was a consensus across subjects on what these rules were. Second, certain rules were highly endorsed across more than half of the relationships. These were termed ' universal rules', and dealt with respecting privacy eye contact, not disclosing confidences, sexual activity, public criticism and repaying debts or favours. Third, in all task-focussed relationships, task-related rules were endorsed more highly than interpersonal rules, with the exception of some of the 'universal' rules described above. Fourth, cluster analysis of the ratings of all 33 general rules gave two distinct clusters of relationships: intimate, comprising spouses, family, friends and heterosexual relations; and non-intimate including work, professional and service relationships, neighbours and conflict relations. The main discriminating rules dealt with ritual exchange, expressing affection, and requesting help of the other person.The universal rules dealing with privacy and disclosing confidences tend to be maintenance rules, as expected. These operate to maintain the relationship regardIess of the type of relationship. In intimate relationships there are more rules abou...

Rules also extend to relationships. Certain formal and legal relationship rules already exist, Studies of organizations have shown that two principles operate for a system to Harrk (1974) made a distinction between constitutive rules, which define what is Personal Relationships. London/Beverly Hills: Sage. rules. International Journal of P.sychology.Requests for reprints should be addressed to Michael Argyle, Department of Experimental Psychology. University of Oxford. South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3UD. UK.

No abstract