What’s best about best friends: Higher-ranked friend nominations are more stable and more likely to be reciprocated than lower-ranked nominations

Abstract

Best friends differ from other friends in terms of their perceived quality, but much is unknown about features that set them apart. This study examines the stability and reciprocity of friend nominations as a function of their rank. Participants included 580 (312 girls and 268 boys) public primary and middle school students (ages 9–13) in Florida (United States) and Lithuania. Twice during a single academic year, participants nominated and rank-ordered friends from a roster of classmates. Stable friend nominees (i.e., nominated as a friend in the fall and the spring) and reciprocated friend nominees (i.e., friend nominations returned by the target) were ranked higher than unstable and unreciprocated nominees. Among those making five (the median) nominations at the outset, first- and second-ranked friends were more stable and more likely to be reciprocated than fourth- and fifth-ranked friends. Similar results emerged among those making fewer friend nominations. Results did not differ across locations, underscoring the assertion that best friends ought not be equated with other friends in empirical studies of friendship.