Gender Differences in Responses to Friends' Hypothetical Greater Success

Abstract

Based on previous findings in which the dynamics off friendships of girls and boys were shown to vary, it was believed that girls and boys would differ in their caring about their friends `hypothetical greater success. A questionnaire was completed by 18 girls and 23 boys from 7th and 8th grades about how much those adolescents cared about being successful in six domains and how much they would care if their closest friends were successful and they were not successful in the six domains. Boys cared more than girls did about athletics, whereas girls cared more than boys did about having close. friends. How-ever, girls indicated that they would care more than boys did about the success of their same-gender friends in the areas of romantic relationships, popularity, attractiveness, and close friendships. The implications of these gender differences for self-evaluations and relationships are discussed.