ABSTRACT
As in other areas of development described so far, men felt their involvement as fathers had changed their social relationships to a significant degree. Virtually all fathers noted changes in frequencies of social activities. Some men felt that, overall, their social level was diminished or hindered by fathering, whereas others perceived enhanced social worlds. Having children can lead to a broader social network that is based around similar interests or activities, but those relationships tend to be relatively short lived, less intimate, and more surface. The focus on shared activity at the expense of the opportunity to explore shared ideals limits the developmental complexity of friendships during adulthood.
