We're Just Good Friends: Women and Men in Nonromantic Relationships [Hardcover]

Kathy J. Werking. (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 2, 1997 | ISBN-10: 1572301872 | ISBN-13: 978-1572301870 | Edition: 1

This book provides a long-overdue look at the challenges and rewards of nonromantic friendships between women and men. Drawing from a range of literature and her own extensive research, the author presents her examination of these relationships in a clear organizational framework. Topics covered include the everyday dynamics of cross-sex friendships and their societal effects and influences. The author also explores ways that these relationships are developed and maintained, and ways they may come to an end. Illustrated with numerous interviews and segments of conversations between male and female friends, the book offers important insight into such issues as gender-role expectancies, relationship norms and goals, and cultural assumptions about friendship and sexuality. The book will suit readers in sociology, social psychology, communication and gender studies, as well as others interested in social networks and personal relationships, including family and couple therapists. It will also serve as a classroom text in undergraduate and graduate-level courses in interpersonal communication, close relationships, gender studies and social psychology.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"If you have ever wondered how to be 'just friends' with a member of the opposite sex, or have become jealous of your lover's cross-sex friendship, this book is for you. Werking has produced a much needed scholarly, but accessible, treatise of a topic which fascinates us all but which has been neglected by investigators of relationships. Weking masterfully entwines the research literature on male-female relationships with vivid examples of the conduct of actual friendships. The nature of cross-sex friendship is revealed through rich descriptions and conversations from the many true-life friends she interviewed and surveyed. Werking is careful to explicate society's assumptions about this unique form of friendship, as well as her own assumptions and those of the friends themselves. In so doing, she provides the proper context for reviewing what is known about cross-sex friendship and generating a framework for future discussions. This is an excellent manual on cross-sex friendships, both for those who wish to research them and those who wish to have them. We're Just Good Friends is not to be missed by cross-sex friends, whether they be scholars or laypersons who want to better understand and derive meaning from their relationships." --Perri B. Druen, Ph.D., York College; Close Relationship Researcher

"What a great read! Werking's book will appeal to multiple audiences. The detailed, multi-disciplinary literature reviews will benefit academics conducting friendship or other relational research. However, the book's approachable style will illuminate the experiences of most anyone ever in a cross-sex friendship.

Admirably, Werking manages to quite successfully pull off that delicate balance between reporting research and capturing life experiences. Numerous quotations from interviewees make the chapters come to life and provide glimpses into the wealth of data she's analyzed. Furthermore, Werking situates the research in context and with an awareness of social norms. The reader will see the workings of friendship across the backdrop of social and relational context -- a very integrative approach.

As an additional plus, Werking provides detailed methodological information, poses significant questions for further inquiry, and includes her own instruments in the appendices -- a great benefit to her colleagues.

In short, a compelling text -- a must read!" --Joy L. Hart, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Department of Communication, University of Louisville

About the Author

Kathy Werking, Ph.D., teaches adult learners in New Hampshire and Maine and is continuing her research into the dynamics of friendship and marriage. She received her doctorate in communication from Purdue University in 1992.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 193 pages
• Publisher: Guilford Press; 1 edition (May 2, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1572301872
• ISBN-13: 978-1572301870
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,299,454 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A pioneering work on male-female friendship, May 15, 2010

By 

Dan Brennan (Chicago Il) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: We're Just Good Friends: Women and Men in Nonromantic Relationships (Hardcover)

Male-female friendships are a phenomenon here to stay. Kathy Werking was on the first to dive into the study of nonromantic relationships between men and women. I highly recommend it. There are not many books on this subject and her contributions are significant given it was written over a decade ago. I explore the subject from a Christian perspective, in "Sacred Unions, Sacred Passions: Engaging the Mystery of Friendship Between Men and Women." http://www.amazon.com/Sacred-Unions-Passions-Engaging-Friendship/dp/0982580703

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent., October 1, 2007

By 

C Murphy - See all my reviews

This review is from: We're Just Good Friends: Women and Men in Nonromantic Relationships (Hardcover)

This book is brilliant. I use it a lot for my own research. It's very well written and thoughtful.