A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE IMAGE OF AN IDEAL FRIEND AMONG ADOLESCENTS

ABSTRACT

This article explores the contemporary issue of the image of the ideal friend. It presents the results of an empirical study on the image of a friend (using zoometaphor), attitudes toward friendship, and the need for affiliation in younger school-aged children and adolescents. The results reveal notable differences between the ideal friend images at these developmental stages. In particular, adolescents demonstrate a more well-formed image of an ideal friend compared to younger students.

Keywords: ideal friend image, younger school age, adolescence, friendship, attitudes toward friendship, need for affiliation.

The problem of conceptualizing the image of the ideal friend is becoming increasingly important in modern society. Ongoing sociocultural transformations have affected younger generations as well. The internet, media, and the entertainment industry have introduced new ways of communicating with friends and redefined the very notion of friendship [1, 2].

The concept of friendship has been a subject of reflection since ancient times, going back to philosophers such as Aristotle and Plato. In modern times, researchers including F. Alberoni, I. Kon, E.V. Yurkova, E.E. Mokhova, V.A. Losenkov, A.V. Mudrik, L.Ya. Gozman, and D.I. Kon have studied the topic in depth [3, 4].

E.E. Mokhova conducted research on the age dynamics of children’s perceptions of friends and friendship in primary school. I. Kon investigated the historical development of friendship from Antiquity to the present, with a particular focus on its psychological aspects. V.A. Losenkov studied the specifics of youth friendship, describing it as a deeply personal relationship based on mutual sympathy and voluntary choice, intimate by nature and involving emotional closeness, trust, and openness. T.A. Shkurko and G.V. Ryabokon also examined personal factors influencing friendship [5].

The aim of our empirical study was to analyze and compare the image of an ideal friend among younger schoolchildren and adolescents. We hypothesized that the image of an ideal friend differs between primary school students and adolescents. To achieve this goal and test our hypothesis, we used the following methods developed in Belgorod: the “Associative Test,” the “Attitudes Toward Friendship” questionnaire, and the “Need for Affiliation” method by A. Mehrabian, modified by M.Sh. Magomed-Eminov.

The study was conducted in the municipal public educational institution MBOU “Secondary School No. 45” in Belgorod. Participants included students from Grade 6-B and Grade 6-G, totaling 40 students.

scored higher than those of younger schoolchildren. This may be due to the fact that adolescents’ views on friendship are more mature. They more frequently illustrated animals such as dogs, cats, and rabbits — symbolizing loyalty, affection, and kindness as key qualities of an ideal friend.

On the first scale, most adolescents’ images of their real friend matched those of their ideal — many drew cats. Younger students also drew cats and dogs, but the total count was still lower than that of adolescents. This suggests that adolescents value their real-life friends more and often see them as ideal companions.

The second scale indicates that younger students more frequently depicted their real friend as a parrot. This might imply qualities such as mimicry, attention-seeking, talkativeness, or excessive sociability.

Among younger students, the anti-ideal friend was associated with hissing, biting creatures like snakes, worms, and pigs. These animals were often drawn with large teeth or aggressive features, symbolizing verbal aggression — mostly of a defensive nature (e.g., reacting rudely to criticism). Adolescents’ responses were fewer in comparison, though they too depicted aggressive animals like wolves.

Notably, both groups often drew closed, circular mouths — indicating fearfulness or anxiety. This suggests that adolescents may exhibit more cautious or restrained attitudes toward friendships.

We then analyzed responses from the “Attitudes Toward Friendship” questionnaire, which assessed how both age groups relate to friendship

This diagram shows that younger schoolchildren are at the upper limit of the medium level of friendship attitude, while adolescents scored at a high level. This likely reflects the growing importance of friendship during adolescence, when peer relationships gain prominence. Adolescents tend to be more considerate, value trust and respect, and celebrate their friends' achievements.

In conclusion, adolescents demonstrate the highest level of commitment to friendship. Younger students also value friendship, though their level is slightly lower, remaining within the upper-medium range.

Next, we used the modified “Need for Affiliation” method by A. Mehrabian, which diagnoses two major motivational dimensions: the desire for acceptance (DA) and fear of rejection.

Clear differences are seen between the two groups. Among younger students, scores for both dimensions were roughly equal and at a medium level, indicating a balanced but moderate need for affiliation. Among adolescents, scores for fear of rejection were higher than for the desire for acceptance. This suggests a heightened fear of social rejection, likely due to developmental challenges associated with adolescence. These fears may also be linked to a reluctance to take on responsibility in relationships, as emotional maturity develops over time.

Thus, we conclude that adolescents are more prone to experiencing fear of rejection, possibly due to age-specific emotional sensitivity and social anxieties. In contrast, younger students appear more open and comfortable in peer interactions.

Conclusion

In summary, adolescents have a more defined image of the ideal friend than younger schoolchildren. For adolescents, an ideal friend represents support and companionship through good times and bad. However, they may be less open to new social interactions. Younger students are generally more open to new experiences and friendships, often considering any kind person to be an ideal friend. Adolescents also score higher in attitudes toward friendship, indicating that they value their friendships more deeply.

References:

1. Belkin, A.S. Fundamentals of Age-related Pedagogy. Moscow: Akademia, 2000.
2. Kon, I.S. The Psychology of Friendship. Moscow, 2007.
3. Kon, I.S. Psychology of Early Adolescence. Moscow, 2005.
4. Kulagina, I.Yu., Kolyutsky, V.N. Developmental Psychology. Moscow: Sfera, 2001.