Teenage Friendships

Friendships in Adolescence

• Late adolescence is characterized by more exclusive, constant, and warm friendships.

Functions of Friendships

• Friendships provide teenagers with a sense of belonging, emotional support, and intimacy.
• Friendships also serve as a platform for exploration and experimentation, helping teenagers develop their identities.

Development of Friendships

• During middle and late adolescence, teenagers develop more intimate and mutually supportive relationships with their friends.
• They learn to share their feelings, thoughts, and experiences with each other, and develop a deeper understanding of each other's perspectives.

Peer Influence

• Peer influence plays a significant role in middle and late adolescence, as teenagers are more likely to conform to their friends' attitudes, values, and behaviors.
• Peer influence can have both positive and negative effects on a teenager's development, depending on the values and behaviors of their friends.

Comparison of Friendships

• Friendships formed in childhood lack the depth and intimacy of friendships formed in middle and late adolescence, which are characterized by more emotional maturity and mutual understanding.