This study investigates the meaning of friendship for eight diverse cohorts of sixth graders, challenging ubiquitous assumptions that friendships represent liking and social interaction, friendships are directed, and friendships are equivalent to one another. Adolescents primarily construe friendship as relational norms, expectations for mutual behavior, along with mutual liking and interaction. Boys and girls weight these dimensions differently in defining friendship.

Kitts, James A. and Diego F. Leal. “What Is(n’t) a Friend? Dimensions of the Friendship Concept Among Adolescents.” Social Networks. 66: 161-170, 2021.