By, Becca Bedford, Kelsey Carey, Will Finlay, Creighton Segars, and Stephen Newman COMMUNICATION IN RELATIONSHIPS

 Find out information about each other  Define our relationships HOW DO WE USE COMMUNICATION?

 Girl-Girl  Guy-Guy  Girl-Guy Platonic  “FriendZone” TYPES OF RELATIONSHIPS

 An intimate relationship between two girls however they feel no sexual attraction towards one another  Characterized by trust and ability to communicate about personal topics with each other  Differs greatly from a Boy-Boy platonic relationship GIRL-GIRL FRIENDSHIPS

 Study by Stacey J. Oliker – “Best Friends and Marriage: Exchange Among Women”  These relationships impact who women marry  Relationships impact the marriage in several ways  Things that bring women together in these types of friendships are not the same as men  Effects on family life WHY IS A GIRL-GIRL PLATONIC RELATIONSHIP SO IMPORTANT?

 Study by Daniel J. Canary and Kathryn Dindia – “Sex Differences and Similarities in Communication”  Differences in the topics discussed  How big of a factor is gender in communication?  Differences in the way they communicate  Stereotypes HOW DO GIRL-GIRL PLATONIC RELATIONSHIPS DIFFER FROM OTHER TYPES OF RELATIONSHIPS?

 A relationship between two males that does not consist of any sexual attraction towards one another  Close relationships are known as a “Bromance” BOY-BOY PLATONIC RELATIONSHIPS

 A non-sexual relationship between two men that are unusually close  The intense complicated love shared between two heterosexual males that consists of but not limited to wrestling, numerous man-dates, and tons of other stories that will only remain between the two BROMANCE <3

 Robin Thicke Interview  Haas and Sherman study in 1982  Examples:  Joey and Chandler from “Friends”  Step Brothers WHAT DO GUYS EVEN TALK ABOUT?

 an intimate relationship in which the partners are not sexually attracted to each other or do not act on an attraction they feel WHAT IS A PLATONIC RELATIONSHIP?

 Open communication  Honesty  Self-disclosure WHAT WORKS?

 Man's need to provide and protect  Intimacy and emotional support  Sexual tension WHAT DOESN’T WORK?

 Questionnaire regarding initiation, selection, and dissolution  Men use platonic relationships to gain sex  Women use as a strategy to gain protection  Both sexes use platonic friendship to acquire potential romantic partners BLESKE-RECHEK AND BUSS STUDY

 Nonsexual, intimate friendship  The decision to remain nonsexual is typically maintained by only one person  Friendship may have originated when the two were young children  Some level of sexual attraction, even though sex itself is avoided FORCED PLATONIC RELATIONSHIPS: A.K.A. "THE FRIEND ZONE"

 The woman is not sufficiently attracted to the man  The woman feels she is receiving ambiguous signals from the man as to the future of the relationship (lack of good communication)  Childhood friends "sibling like feeling between them”  Are actual siblings CAUSES OF THE FRIEND ZONE

 Study by Messmen, Canary & Hause (2000)  "Motives to remain platonic, equity use of maintenance strategies in opposite-sex friendships"  "This person may hurt me" -.80  "I may be disappointed" -.67 CREATING AND MAINTAINING: STUDY BY MESSMAN, ET. AL

 71% of women say they would date a friend  Easier for women to get out of the friend zone  Prevention is best  Communicate your intentions accurately from day 1 GETTING OUT

 You’re crossing Library Bridge…  What does a Girl-Girl conversation look like?  What does a Guy-Guy conversation look like?  What does a Girl-Guy conversation look like? ACTIVITY