Attraction in Same and Cross Sex Friendships

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Attraction refers to the act of arousing interest through the emotions or senses. Past research has shown that friendships between heterosexual men and women are different from their same-sex friendships, possibly as a result of attraction. Other research has shown that homosexual individuals are much more likely to form friendships with heterosexuals than with those who share their sexual orientation (Galupo, 2009). The purpose of the present study is to examine attraction in friendships. Specifically, we examined whether heterosexual men and women are able to have platonic friendships with each other; and whether homosexual individuals are able to sustain platonic friendships with same sex others. Participants were 1,175 ethnically diverse men and women from regions across the United States. They were recruited from websites (e.g., Craigslist.org), social media sites (e.g., Facebook), and a university participant management system (i.e., SONA Systems). After providing their consent to participate, individuals completed a 20-minute online survey that included measures to assess demographic characteristics, sociosexual orientation, friendship chemistry, and attraction. Participants also responded to two open-ended questions about what caused the ending of a close friendship with someone of the same or opposite sex. The initial analyses involved qualitatively analyzing the open-ended responses. Results indicated when attraction was present in a relationship on the part of only one of the friends, it had a detrimental effect on the relationship. Contrary to predictions, attraction played a greater role in heterosexuals’ cross-sex friendships than in homosexuals’ same-sex friendships.