Latest news with #socialdynamics
Daily Mail
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE The ultimate Melbourne vs Sydney tier list: High society insiders reveal the REAL hierarchy of the rival cities... and who's fallen from the A-list
The eastern suburbs may look like a playground for Sydney 's young, hot and rich. But in reality, the major players in the east are no different to teenagers competing to be the most popular girl in school. They may be older, some even a little wiser, but - according to our society insider - the same rules apply.
Daily Mail
24-05-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
Does your man have dreaded lizard skin? How to banish unsightly blemishes and get rid of 'skin Krispies'
In my capacity as self-elected matchmaker, I am always on the lookout for single older men. Functioning examples are, of course, a rarity. They are usually snapped up as soon as they come on the market. I was therefore delighted to be introduced at a business lunch to Iain, a prime specimen with all faculties intact: top job, 50something, cosy and engaging. Yet in the centre of Iain's forehead resided a raised colourless blob about the size of a broad bean. This threw me as I had to put all my mental energy into not letting my gaze wander towards it. What on earth was such a sophisticated man doing in not having this blob attended to? To me, it spoke of Iain's lack of aesthetic judgment and therefore he disqualified himself from my matchmaking books.
Forbes
22-05-2025
- General
- Forbes
3 Ways To Prioritize Friendships And Decenter Love, By A Psychologist
It can be challenging to maintain friendships the way we once did when we're in a new romantic ... More relationship, but finding a balance is crucial. Here's how. If you've ever been guilty of treating romance as your ultimate goal in life, you're not alone. Too often, being happily single is demonized while being romantically involved is put on a pedestal. Societal conditioning can make us believe that our relationship with our partners is the most important one we'll ever have, which in turn makes us devote significant amounts of time and energy to these connections. Unfortunately, this conditioning can also make us treat cherished friends as placeholders until we've found 'the one,' only to stop prioritizing them as much when we meet someone new. Entering a romantic relationship can be exciting and full of novelty, but it often brings significant shifts in social dynamics. One of the most common challenges is learning how to balance a new relationship with existing friendships, without making either party feel unimportant. When we become consumed by the thrill of romance and only reach out to our friends to talk about our significant other, they may start to feel used. We might stop planning outings with them, call them less than before and start to experience a subtle emotional distance, no matter how unintentional. However, our friendships, like our romantic connections, deserve intention. They deserve time, energy and consistent effort, and most of all, to never be taken for granted. It's entirely possible to nurture meaningful friendships while allowing a romantic connection to flourish. Here are three ways to strike this balance. When people experience significant life transitions such as entering a romantic relationship, they allocate their time and energy to relationships differently. One common shift is the tendency to deprioritize friendships once a romantic bond forms. While it's understandable that your time and social energy may become limited, side-lining friendships entirely can lead to social isolation, becoming overly reliant on your partner to fulfill your emotional needs and becoming an absent, unreliable friend to those you care for. A 2015 study published in Human Nature found that friendships last longer when people actively put in the effort. Researchers found that for men, shared activities help maintain closeness. For women, consistent communication and meaningful conversations are more effective. For instance, it's essential to let your friends know about your changing availability while affirming their importance in your life. This helps maintain their trust and prevent emotional distance. Even simple statements like 'I've been a bit caught up lately, but I'd love to catch up this week,' can go a long way in maintaining relational equity. Of course, it's not enough to mention wanting to stay connected. It's equally important to follow through and be consistent. Whether that means setting a reminder to call them every week or having a standing meet-up you don't compromise on, set aside time for them and commit to it. While you may not be able to spend as much time with them as before, quality can make up for quantity. Even brief but meaningful interactions can preserve emotional closeness and keep friendships strong. Friendships often reflect who we are outside of romantic relationships. Losing touch with them can mean losing parts of ourselves. A 2018 study published in Sociological Research Online found that lasting female friendships are rarely treated as life goals, despite offering emotional depth and support. Lead author Maree Martinussen suggests that society promotes confidence and self-sufficiency but downplays the value of deep friendships, framing them as necessary, but always secondary to romantic or sexual partnerships. This perspective causes us to sideline friendships while glamorizing romantic love. However, when we reflect on how friendships offer support, emotional strength, joy, a sense of community and belongingness, a space for personal growth, a space to be compassionate toward others and so much more, it reminds us that they're invaluable. Friendships that came before a romantic relationship are built on fulfilling emotional connections, shared values, history and interests, and they shouldn't be lost just because you're in love. Staying connected involves a significant mindset shift, reframing friendships as irreplaceable and constantly worth investing in. A single person cannot and should not support all our emotional needs. Emotional granularity, which refers to the ability to experience and distinguish a wide range of nuanced emotions, is best supported when different people fulfil different emotional needs in our lives. While a romantic partner may offer intimacy and deep commitment, friends often provide crucial perspective, shared history and a sense of identity continuity. A 2014 study published in Social Psychological and Personality Science exploring the concept of 'emotionships' or emotion-based relationships sheds light on how people turn to different individuals depending on their emotional state. For instance, someone might reach out to one friend when feeling sad, another when anxious and a third when excited. People instinctively associate different friends with different emotional needs. When experiencing a specific emotion, they're more likely to think of and value the friend who typically helps them cope with or better experience that feeling. Relying too much on one person can make it hard to tell where your emotions end and theirs begin. This is known as emotional enmeshment. However, having healthy, fulfilling friendships helps you stay grounded, manage your feelings and retain a healthy sense of individuality. Having a diverse number of emotionships, rather than relying heavily on just one or two people, is also associated with greater emotional well-being. In fact, this diversity appears to be more beneficial than simply having a large number of close friends. Your friends have stood by you for years. You've laughed, cried and beat boredom with them, grown with them and likely, because of them. So, remind yourself that love exists in multiple forms, and deserves to be nurtured, be it romantic or platonic. Do you feel as connected to your friends as you do your romantic partner? Take this science-backed test to find out: Social Connectedness Scale
Daily Mail
22-05-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
People from poor backgrounds are deemed MORE trustworthy than those raised with money, study finds
People from poor backgrounds are deemed more trustworthy than those raised with money, a new study has revealed. Researchers from the University of British Columbia asked participants to play a trust game with people from a range of backgrounds. And the results revealed that people who grew up with less money were considered more trustworthy than those from more privileged backgrounds. 'They generally saw people who grew up in lower-class homes as more moral and trustworthy,' said Dr Kristin Laurin, lead author of the study. 'While they sometimes acted as if they trusted people who are currently lower class, they didn't always believe those people would honor that trust.' Based on the findings, the researchers say that people should be 'strategic' about how they present themselves in social situations where trust is a component. 'If you've always been wealthy, for example, you might want to downplay that history and focus on the now,' Dr Laurin advised. 'Whereas if you've always struggled financially, making it clear that you grew up with humble roots might be more to your advantage.' In the Harry Potter franchise, the Weasleys are known for being poor - but soon become one of Harry's most trusted allies In their study, the team set out to understand how people decide who to trust. 'Trust is essential for healthy relationships,' Dr Laurin said. 'Without it, romantic partnerships can fail, workplaces can suffer and social divisions can grow. 'But what makes people trust someone in the first place?' The researchers enlisted 1,900 participants, who took part in a series of experiments exploring trust. In one experiment, the participants were asked to play a trust game with what they thought were other real people, but were actually fictional profiles. Some profiles described people who grew up with less money, while others described more privileged backgrounds, such as going to private school or taking holidays abroad. In another experiment, the profiles indicated people's current socioeconomic status, and asked participants to rate the morality of the other players. The results revealed that people tended to trust people from lower-income backgrounds more - whether past or present. However, they only believed a player was more trustworthy when the player grew up in a lower-income household. 'Our research shows that people draw a clear line between someone's childhood and their current situation,' Dr Laurin said. The study comes shortly after research revealed that rich people are more likely to be mean. Analysing data from 46,000 people across 67 countries, including information on wealth and levels of morality and moral behaviour, helped a team from the University of Agder in Kristiansand, Norway, to make their discovery. Their research suggests that the Disney movies, as well as tropes in classic literature, stand up to scrutiny, with lack of wealth linked to higher moral standards.
New York Times
07-05-2025
- General
- New York Times
Why Did My Friend Keep Poking Her Husband When I Spoke at Dinner?
Some friends of ours get together monthly for dinner parties. We take turns hosting, and we've been doing this for years. During the last dinner, at our home, I saw a friend poke her husband with her elbow while I was speaking. I didn't think anything of it — until I saw her do it two more times when I was talking that night. I became self-conscious and quieter for the rest of the evening. I've been depressed lately about my husband's declining health, so I may have been talking too much. But no one said anything to me about it. Then, at the end of the evening, this same woman was unusually solicitous when we hugged goodbye. Any advice on how — or whether — I should address this? I would have hoped one of my friends would tell me if I'd been inappropriate. FRIEND I can certainly identify with your self-consciousness about a woman jabbing her husband every time you opened your mouth! The maddening thing about other people, though, is that we rarely know what's going on inside their heads. She may have thought you were talking too much. Or she may have been signaling her agreement (or total disagreement) with whatever it was you were saying. But I suspect that her pokes and warm hug may be hitting you harder than usual because of the sadness you feel about your husband and the way your life may be changing. I doubt these factors would make you suddenly oblivious to social cues, as you fear: Your letter suggests a great deal of emotional intelligence. And while it's nice to fantasize about not caring what other people think of us, the fact is that practically all of us do.
