Conceptions of Friendship: A Developmental Perspective

This chapter pays particular attention to the question of how children’s understanding of friendship changes with development. It is concerned with this general issue have typically proceeded along one of three lines. The chapter examines how youngsters conceptualize or define friendship, exploring the activities children believe are indicative of friendship. It investigates what youngsters expect from real as well as ideal friends. The chapter explores some of the unique functions friendship serves in children’s lives, and sketch a picture of what a child’s earliest friendships look like. The chapter focuses on the psychological components that underlie a child’s ability to develop and maintain significant relationships with peers; it answers the question of what it means to be a friend for children at various stages of development. It believes that the type of communicative activities in which children engage with friends is intimately intertwined with their conceptualization of friendship.