Friendship

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Photo of a red taxi with passengers in an urban setting, a sign saying “Life is War” visible in the background.

Freedom and choice

idea

Relationships are important, but so is feeling free to end them

Comparing ‘relational mobility’ and people’s average happiness across different cultures reveals some intriguing patterns

by Thomas Talhelm & Liuqing Wei

Photo of two people sitting at a table by a window, talking and drinking coffee, with a rainy view outside.

Worry and rumination

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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

Photo of a cantina with people sitting at colourful tables outside under a canopy.

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

Photo of three older men in a pub, smiling and wearing caps. The background has pub mirrors and a red wall.

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

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

idea

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

Painting of two people sitting at a table with blurred green foliage in the background, one person resting their head.

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

Friendship

idea

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

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 two people playing chess outdoors, seated on tyres near a graffiti-covered wall and blooming tree under cloudy skies.

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