Egocentric reciprocity and the role of friendship and anger

In this research, we examine the phenomenon of egocentric reciprocity, where individuals protect self-interest by adopting an eye-for-an-eye strategy in negatively imbalanced exchanges, and by taking advantage of overly generous treatment in positively imbalanced exchanges. We conducted two experiments using a modified ultimatum game examining attitudinal and behavioral responses to imbalanced exchanges. The experiments allowed us to explore the moderating role of relational closeness (i.e., whether the game partner was a friend or a stranger) and the mediating role of anger and indebtedness in these moderated relationships. Our results consistently demonstrate the phenomenon of egocentric reciprocity. Most importantly, this research reveals that friendship places a boundary on this egocentric tendency, and that the effects may partially be explained by anger experienced in response to exchange.     

Ask and you might receive: The actor–partner interdependence model approach to estimating cultural and gender variations in social support

As an essential part of close relationships, social support is a dynamic interactive process. This paper aims to simultaneously investigate social support‐seeking and provision behaviours using the Actor–Partner Interdependence Model (APIM). Ninety‐two friendship dyads participated in this study. Supportive versus negative friendship qualities were used to predict different support‐seeking and support‐provision behaviours during an experimental task. Cultural and gender variations were also examined. Results showed that self‐reported friendship qualities influence support‐seeking and provision behaviours intrapersonally and interpersonally. Female participants were more likely to provide emotion‐focused support than were male participants. After accounting for friendship qualities in the dyads, there was no evidence of cultural group differences on support‐seeking or provision behaviours among same‐sex friends. These results demonstrate the conceptual and empirical advantages of using APIM to unpack cultural and gender variations in social support processes.     

Principles for Effective Asynchronous Online Instruction in Religious Studies

Asynchronous online instruction has become increasingly popular in the field of religious studies. However, despite voluminous research on online learning in general and numerous articles on online theological instruction, there has been little discussion of how to effectively design and deliver online undergraduate courses in religious studies. Drawing on recent research, experiences teaching and learning online, and interviews with colleagues, this paper discusses key principles of effective online instruction. It recommends instructors focus on humanizing their course website, “chunking” their course content, making their approach to the study of religion clear, structuring and monitoring online discussions, prioritizing prompt and constructive feedback, and making course material relevant to learners.     

初中生友谊特征与攻击行为的关系研究

本研究运用社会测量提名法、友谊质量问卷、社会行为同伴提名法考察了586名初一至初三儿童的友谊特征与攻击行为的关系。研究表明,在男女初中生中,不论外部攻击还是关系攻击,一对友伴表现出的攻击行为越多,其同伴接纳程度越低。结果表明,同伴群体可能支持符合性别规范的攻击行为,反对不符合性别规范的攻击行为。友谊受欢迎程度这一外部指标比友谊质量等内部指标对攻击行为的预测更为稳定和可靠。     

童年中期社交退缩类型与友谊和孤独感的关系研究

本研究以571名3-6年级的小学生为被试,采用问卷法探讨童年中期儿童社交退缩类型、友谊和孤独感的关系。结果表明:社交退缩儿童的孤独感随年级的升高都是呈现的下降趋势,安静退缩型儿童的孤独感低于活跃退缩型儿童。在互选朋友数量、友谊质量的陪伴和娱乐维度以及亲密与交流维度上不同社交退缩类型的儿童存在差异。友谊在活跃退缩行为和孤独感之间的中介效应是显著的。     

With a little help from our friends: The impact of cross-group friendship on acculturation preferences

Despite extensive research on intergroup contact and acculturation, our understanding of how contact affects receiving society members’ preferences for acculturation orientation of immigrants over time is still relatively rudimentary. This longitudinal study examined how perceived group similarity and outgroup trust mediate the effects of cross-group friendship on acculturation preferences (culture maintenance and culture adoption) of the receiving society. It was predicted that cross-group friendship would affect acculturation preferences over time, and that these relationships would be partly mediated by outgroup trust and perceived group similarity. A three-wave full longitudinal sample (N = 467 Chilean school students) was analyzed using structural equation modeling. Results confirmed that cross-group friendship longitudinally predicted majority members’ support for the adoption of Chilean culture (via perceived group similarity) and Peruvian culture maintenance (via outgroup trust). Conceptual and practical implications are discussed.     

When cross‐ethnic friendships can be bad for out‐group attitudes: The importance of friendship quality

Data collected from Romanian students living in the Transylvanian region of Romania showed that the quality of friendship with Hungarian ethnics moderated the effects of cross‐ethnic friendship quantity on attitudes towards this out‐group. Although high‐quality cross‐ethnic friendships were very beneficial to out‐group attitudes, low‐quality cross‐ethnic friendships were rather harmful.     

A Compassionate Space‐making

Using the lens of trinitarian theology of friendship, this article discusses the idea of compassionate space‐making. By showing the primacy of friendly love (philia) over agapeic love, it argues that the idea of trinitarian friendship can offer a creative and imaginative way for constructing a theology of friendship in the communal and broader social contexts. The article then presents five marks of theology of friendship that enable Christians to participate in this trinitarian friendship by making space for and befriending others: vulnerability, unpredictability, reimagination, propheticity, and compassion. The article concludes with a practical spiritual exercise which exemplifies this trinitarian theology of friendship.     

Why people make friends: The nature of friendship

Friendship constitutes an important facet of human behavior, and the current research investigated the reasons that motivate people to make friends. First, a combination of qualitative research methods were used to identify 41 perceived reasons why people make friends. Using a sample of 1,316 Greek‐speaking participants, these reasons were classified into five broad factors. Participants indicated that the most important reasons for making friends were to receive social input, support, and because of someone else's good qualities. Sex differences and age effects were found in most factors. Finally, the five factors were classified into two broader domains, the first reflecting motivation to make a true friendship and the second to gain opportunistic benefits.     

Giving the Benefit of the Doubt

Abstract

Faced with evidence that what a person said is false, we can nevertheless trust them and so believe what they say – choosing to give them the benefit of the doubt. This is particularly notable when the person is a friend, or someone we are close to. Towards such persons, we demonstrate a remarkable epistemic partiality. We can trust, and so believe, our friends even when the balance of the evidence suggests that what they tell us is false. And insofar as belief is possible, it is also possible to acquire testimonial knowledge on those occasions when the friends know what they tell us. This paper seeks to explain these psychological and epistemological possibilities.