Like a Sister: Women Like a Sister: Women and Friendshipand Friendship

Presented by: Stefanie Banduria and Presented by: Stefanie Banduria and Stephanie GuzmanStephanie Guzman

Chapter 5 from: Chapter 5 from:

Campbell, A. (2002). Campbell, A. (2002). A Mind of her Own: A Mind of her Own: The Evolutionary Psychology of WomenThe Evolutionary Psychology of Women. . New York City: NY: Oxford University New York City: NY: Oxford University Press, 5, 137-168. Press, 5, 137-168.

Video Clip Video Clip

Interview with Ann Curry regarding female Interview with Ann Curry regarding female friendshipsfriendships

The Two DimensionsThe Two Dimensions

Agency-dominance over others. Agency-dominance over others. Characterizes men Characterizes men

• Adolescence boys rate social dominance and Adolescence boys rate social dominance and toughness as more important in interpersonal toughness as more important in interpersonal relations. relations.

Communion-bonding and interdependence Communion-bonding and interdependence with others. with others. Characterizes womenCharacterizes women

• Young girls rate interpersonal relationships and Young girls rate interpersonal relationships and sensitivity. sensitivity.

Women vs. Men Women vs. Men FriendshipsFriendships

Women’s friendships differ from men both Women’s friendships differ from men both quantitatively and qualitatively. quantitatively and qualitatively.

Adolescent girl friendships are more Adolescent girl friendships are more intimate and exclusive. intimate and exclusive. Young girls prefer one or two intimate friends Young girls prefer one or two intimate friends

whereas young boys prefer to play in larger whereas young boys prefer to play in larger groups. groups.

The Puzzle of Female Friendships The Puzzle of Female Friendships

Kin Care in the Animal World Kin Care in the Animal World Female dispersion/transferFemale dispersion/transfer

Pattern occurs in hamadryas baboons, some Pattern occurs in hamadryas baboons, some spider monkeys, chimpanzees and humans. spider monkeys, chimpanzees and humans.

Male solidarity Male solidarity Female Primates Female Primates

Differences between primates. Differences between primates.

Altruism Altruism

Communal Sharing- individual Communal Sharing- individual identities merged into a greater identities merged into a greater whole. whole. Mother towards her childMother towards her child

Exchange Relationships-based on Exchange Relationships-based on rewards and costs in a relationship. rewards and costs in a relationship. Payment to a plumber is immediate. Payment to a plumber is immediate.

Altruism Outside of KinAltruism Outside of Kin

Females find a friend Females find a friend who is similar to who is similar to oneselfoneself Attitude and Attitude and

personalitypersonality

Concerned with Concerned with common charactercommon character Men: common Men: common

interestsinterests

Women are More Socially SensitiveWomen are More Socially Sensitive

Read non-verbal behaviorRead non-verbal behavior Autism and Asperger syndromeAutism and Asperger syndrome

Males highly outnumber femalesMales highly outnumber females Sex differences in empathy seen in Sex differences in empathy seen in

female infants. female infants. Respond to distress of another child Respond to distress of another child

with greater emotional arousal. with greater emotional arousal.

Why are women communal?Why are women communal?

Recreate new bonds when they leave kinRecreate new bonds when they leave kin Ensure safety of offspringEnsure safety of offspring

Avoid conflict with other femalesAvoid conflict with other females Safety in numbersSafety in numbers

FoodFood• Controlling kinds of defensible foods. Controlling kinds of defensible foods.

BonobosBonobos

Tolerance or Tolerance or preference? preference?

Female Female affiliation=instrument affiliation=instrument for gaining access to for gaining access to men.men.

Friendships cemented Friendships cemented by mutual grooming by mutual grooming and genital rubbing. and genital rubbing.

Men, Women, and Female FriendsMen, Women, and Female Friends

Women cannot form a powerful alliance Women cannot form a powerful alliance because of existing competition for menbecause of existing competition for men

Females still retain intimate friendshipsFemales still retain intimate friendships Safety from male aggressionSafety from male aggression

Male violence increasesMale violence increases Main resource providerMain resource provider Rights to family affairsRights to family affairs Ensure paternityEnsure paternity

3 Informative Points 3 Informative Points

Autism and Aspergers are linked to the Autism and Aspergers are linked to the theory of females being more socially theory of females being more socially sensitive.sensitive.

Females form intimate bonds mainly Females form intimate bonds mainly because of the sense of safety they get because of the sense of safety they get from it.from it.

Females retain friends for the safety Females retain friends for the safety because over time males have become because over time males have become more violent due to paternity insecurity.more violent due to paternity insecurity.

Critique Critique

The author does not state a definite The author does not state a definite answer for the reason for female transfer.answer for the reason for female transfer.

Sex differences in empathy can be seen in Sex differences in empathy can be seen in actual response, but not in physiological actual response, but not in physiological measurements.measurements.

Multiple Choice Questions Multiple Choice Questions

1.1. Which type of altruist relationship is the norm Which type of altruist relationship is the norm in most societies? in most societies?

A.A. Communal Sharing Communal Sharing B.B. Exchange RelationshipExchange RelationshipC.C. All of the aboveAll of the above

2. The ability to “mind read” is affected in 2. The ability to “mind read” is affected in individuals with the following: individuals with the following:

A.A. Autism Autism B.B. Asperger Syndrome Asperger Syndrome C.C. All of the aboveAll of the above

Multiple Choice QuestionsMultiple Choice Questions

3. 3. Women forge intimate bonds with females:Women forge intimate bonds with females:

A.A. To ensure their safetyTo ensure their safety

B.B. To protect their offspringTo protect their offspring

C.C. In order to create the bonds found from In order to create the bonds found from kinkin

D.D. All of the above. All of the above.

True/False QuestionsTrue/False Questions The two types of altruism relationships are The two types of altruism relationships are

agency and exchange relationship. agency and exchange relationship.

Women forge communal bonds because they Women forge communal bonds because they offer a sense of safety in a world where offer a sense of safety in a world where patriarchy and male control of the family make patriarchy and male control of the family make life dangerous for a female alone.life dangerous for a female alone.

Autism and Asperger syndrome are two Autism and Asperger syndrome are two disorders that support the theory stating that disorders that support the theory stating that females are more socially sensitive than males. females are more socially sensitive than males.

Answers to QuestionsAnswers to Questions

Multiple Choice Multiple Choice 1. B. 1. B. 2. C. 2. C. 3. D. 3. D.

True/False True/False 1. False1. False 2. True2. True 3. True 3. True