ABSTRACT
This chapter begins with the question: “What is a friend?” It presents research on indictors of friendship among infants and toddlers, followed by answers to this question when asked of people at all stages of the lifespan. The chapter discusses social scientists’ conceptions and definitions of friendship and point out commonalities between their conceptions and those of the “person on the street.” It focuses on the role of friendships in contributing to well-being across the lifespan. It explores several facets of well-being: satisfaction with life and happiness, as well as physical and psychological health. The older children were more likely to list both concrete and abstract exemplars, suggesting a more cognitively complex conception of friendship. In adolescence and young adulthood, friendship entails disclosure, the expectation of support, mutuality, intimacy, and understanding. Characteristics such as self-disclosure, provision of support, and enjoyment of each other’s company are paramount in social scientists’ definitions of friendship.
