ABSTRACT
T he basic question to be addressed in this chapter is, how do people “catch” new friends? Research to address this question is somewhat limited, given that, as the present volume attests, relationship initiation research has overwhelmingly targeted romantic relationships. Friendship is still branded as the “under-studied” relationship (Rawlins, 1992), which may, in part, reflect the greater importance granted to romantic and familial relationships in our society (see e.g., Fehr & Harasymchuk, 2005). Interestingly, however, when people are asked what gives their lives happiness, joy, and meaning, friendships are near the top, or at the top, of the list (see Fehr, 1996, for a review). These perceptions are corroborated by research on daily experiences. Larson and Bradney (1988), for example, tracked the day-to-day interactions of teenagers and adults and found that the greatest enjoyment and excitement were reported when in the presence of friends-more so than when alone or in the presence of spouse or family. Given how important friendships actually are in people’s lives, it becomes critical to understand how people form this kind of relationship.
