The Ties That Bind

… Similarly, a Harris Interactive Inc. survey in 2004 found that 39% of women between ages 25 and 55 said they met their current best friends in childhood or high school. Women are likely to connect early and then hold tight to each other. This is despite our transient society, or in some cases, even because of it. …

… Few of the Ames girls’ husbands have longstanding groups of close friends they confide in regularly. Men’s friendships tend to be based more on activities than on emotions. They connect through sports, work, poker, politics. In an Australian government study, 57% of men said they bond with friends through “recreational activities.” That compared with just 26% of women who defined friendships in those terms. …