Professor Catherine Loveday, Professor of Neuropsychology at the University of Westminster, has spoken to inews about why relationships made in adolescence are the most likely to stand the test of time.
The article explores why friendships from childhood stand firm over the decades while ones made later on in life are much easier to let fade away. Between the ages of 10-24 people face a lot of change, development and hardship as they learn about who they are and who they want to be. As they muddle through these challenges together a shared understanding is built and these bonds are cemented.
In the article Professor Loveday expresses her fascination at how many people maintain these close friendships throughout the years. She said: “It makes sense to me that people would have affection and probably a lot of nostalgia for friends they had when they were younger but I was genuinely surprised at just how many people still maintain close friendships.”
Professor Loveday conducted a survey of 200 adults between the ages of 30 and 84 which found that this is true for both men and women. She added: “I expected more differences between men and women as some research suggests that men are not so driven to maintain friendships. Yet it seems that when it comes to old friends, maybe they are.”
Professor Catherine Loveday, whose research focuses on memory and ageing, is part of the Westminster Centre for Psychological Sciences and teaches on the Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience BSc Honours and Psychology BSc Honours courses.
Read the full article on inews.
Find out more about Psychology courses at the University of Westminster.
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