Friendship

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Two people sit at a table with coffee cups, near a window overlooking a rainy scene with parked cars and trees in the background.

Worry and rumination

idea

Rehashing your problems with friends can turn into a bad habit

Although ‘co-rumination’ bolsters relationships in some ways, it also distracts from other, better coping methods

by Shayla Love

Friendship

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Is it better to have friends who are like you or different from you?

Studies of longterm friends offer surprising insights as to whether friends who are more or less alike tend to endure

by Christian Jarrett

Group of people sitting at colourful tables outside a cafe with a lit sign reading ‘cantina’ in a modern, well-lit indoor space.

Social anxiety

guide

How to overcome social anxiety

When even everyday social situations make you feel self-conscious and afraid, it’s time to try these well-tested techniques

by Fallon Goodman

Two puppets in silver spacesuits lie against a starry backdrop, surrounded by makeup items. One puppet has short black hair, the other has bright green hair.

Friendship

film

Fatu treks into the glamorous unknown during his first outing in makeup

Directed by Iiti Yli-Harja

Two women with braided hair sitting on a park bench, smiling and engaging in conversation. One faces the camera, while the other is seen from behind.

Friendship

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For Beauvoir, it’s friendship that lets us become truly ourselves

For Simone de Beauvoir, friendship, even more than love, was the means to overcome the tragedy of our radical separation

by Skye C Cleary

Photo of an outdoor market with fruit stalls, a masked man carrying bags and two people in green vests walking past.

Friendship

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Empathic friends can provide the right kind of peer pressure

Research on empathy development in adolescents suggests an under-appreciated potential for positive peer influence

by Marta Miklikowska & Lauree Tilton-Weaver

Painting of two women at a table; one looks down and the other glances sideways, holding a small red object.

Friendship

guide

How to support a struggling friend

Sometimes it’s hard to know what to say or do. Use these five strategies for providing effective emotional support

by Elise Kalokerinos

Three girls dancing in a bedroom; one on a bed in blue outfit, others on the floor wearing casual clothes. The room has pink curtains and a blue lamp.

Life stages

film

A nostalgic ode to being 15, fearless and in love with the world

Directed by Celia Willis

Photo of eight varied stone doughnut-shaped artefacts on a blue background with a 5 cm scale bar.

Rituals and celebrations

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Far-flung ancient communities forged bonds through broken rings

What can the fragments of Neolithic slate rings found in Finland tell us about social relationships 6,000 years ago?

by Marja Ahola, Elisabeth Holmqvist & Petro Pesonen

Photo of a man with a beard wearing a black shirt that has “NO VAX” in large white letters appliquéd on it.

Communication and language

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Why you shouldn’t shrink from challenging your loved ones’ views

Care is warranted when arguing with friends and family. But you can be respectful and still point out the flaws in their views

by Matt Ferkany

Two people play chess outdoors near a colourful graffiti wall and blooming tree; industrial buildings and stormy sky in the background.

Neurodiversity

guide

How to be a good friend to an Autistic person

Autistic and non-autistic people see the social world differently. But openness and empathy can foster a valuable bond

by Abby Sesterka & Erin Bulluss