Does gender-bending help or hinder friending? The roles of gender and gender similarity in friendship dissolution.

Abstract

We explored how gender and gender similarity affects friendship dissolution following the transition to middle school. We predicted that both gender and gender similarity (measured by perceived similarity to own-gender and other-gender peers) explain dissolution trends and that less own-gender similarity or more other-gender similarity predicts more friendship dissolution. We considered gender and gender similarity at both the individual and dyad level (reflecting the discrepancy between friends). Participants were 198 students in Grade 6 (42% Latinx, 21% Caucasian, 10% Native American, 8% African American, 2% Asian American, and 17% mixed backgrounds; 77% qualified for free/reduced meals) in reciprocated same-or mixed-gender friendships followed from fall to spring of the academic year. Multilevel multimember logistic regression models, nesting friendships within each participating individual, demonstrated that girl-girl friendships were less likely to dissolve than boy-boy friendships, and mixed-gender friendships did not dissolve more than same-gender friendships. Feeling similar to one's own gender predicted less dissolution, but feeling similar to the other gender did not increase friendship dissolution. There was no support for the hypothesis that feeling similar to both genders (i.e., androgyny) protected against friendship dissolution, nor was there any support for the hypothesis that dyad-level differences in gender similarity would predict dissolution. The discussion focuses on the importance of conducting individual and dyad-level analyses as well as including gender similarity constructs when studying gender differences in friendships and their trajectories over time.

Perceived Similarity to Gender Groups Scale: Validation in a Sample of Italian LGB + and Heterosexual Young Adults

“…Gender differences in self-perceived gender typicality were well-documented in literature both in childhood (Doescher & Sugawara, 1990 ; Egan & Perry, 2001 ; Jewell & Brown, 2014 ; Menon, 2011 ; Menon & Hannah-Fisher, 2019 ; Nielson et al, 2020 ; Smith & Leaper, 2006 ; Tam & Brown, 2020 ; Zosuls et al, 2016 ) and in young adulthood (Andrews et al, 2019 ; DiDonato & Berenbaum, 2013 ; Endendijk et al, 2019 ; Lefkowitz & Zeldow, 2006 ) reporting that females showed more flexible attitudes concerning other-gender similarity compared to males (Andrews et al, 2019 ; DiDonato et al, 2012 ; Endendijk et al, 2019 ; Martin et al, 2012 , 2017a , b ; Zosuls et al, 2016 ). Furthermore, studies have investigated the relationship between gender typicality, well-being, academic achievement, and psychosocial adjustment, taking into account gender differences (Carver et al, 2003 ; DiDonato & Berenbaum, 2013 ; Egan & Perry, 2001 ; Jewell & Brown, 2014 ; Lee & Troop-Gordon, 2011 ; Mehta et al, 2017 ; Menon & Hannah-Fisher, 2019 ; Nielson et al, 2020 ; Ueno & McWilliams, 2010 ; Yavorsky & Buchmann, 2019 ). Literature suggests that feeling typical of one’s own gender relates to more gender-typed attitudes, whereas feeling typical of both genders relates to more egalitarian gender attitudes, both in females and males (Andrews et al, 2019 ; Dinella et al, 2014 ; Endendijk et al, 2019 ).…”

“…Researchers interested in children’s development have described gender identity as a multidimensional construct in which gender typicality is a central component (Braun & Davidson, 2017 ; Carver et al, 2003 ; DiDonato et al, 2012 ; Egan & Perry, 2001 ; Nielson et al, 2020 ; Pauletti et al, 2017 ; Smith & Leaper, 2006 ; Young & Sweeting, 2004 ). Despite different studies that examined self-perceptions of gender typicality, the ways it has been theorized and investigated differ.…”

Who am I and what do my peers think: How do gender identity and peer norms relate to other‐gender friendships

“…Yet, that is not the case here, as evidenced by the low‐gender similar group. Furthermore, recent research suggests that gender non‐conforming youth are not more likely than conforming youth to lose friendships over time (Nielson et al., 2020). Why the two methods of distinguishing friendships produced different results remains an open question, but the striking difference between total and reciprocated friends for other‐gender similar youth specifically is notable.…”

The other side of the screen: The impact of perspective‐taking on adolescents’ online communication

“…In response to peer problems, adolescent girls are more likely to demonstrate prosocial behaviour (e.g., supportive encouragement), whereas boys were found to respond using humour (Rose et al, 2016). Girls' peer relationships have also been found to be more stable than boys and are less likely to deteriorate in middle school samples (Nielson et al, 2020). These findings suggest that boys have more aggressive interaction styles than girls and are more willing to use aggressive and socially risky communicative strategies such as humour and sarcasm with peers (Lazarus et al, 2012;Mewhort-Buist et al, 2020).…”