Friendship in the 21st Century

Scientist Dr Russell Carley is interested in finding out about friendship in the 21st century. He started by tring to answer the question:

Surprisingly, he found that the answer is a big YES! A friend is someone who gives you honest advice and support, and, of course, an online friend can do that . Online friends can also be close friends. Our real friends can't be with us 24 hours a day, but the online community never sleeps!

When you feel anxious in the middle of the night, there's always someone who can give you support through a text, a message or just a 'like'. Having online friends is good for your memory, too. There's a lot of information to check every day. When you see an interesting holiday picture, you make a note in your mind to ask your pal about it next time they're online, or when you're together in person

Also, you can find freinds who have the same interests as you more easily. If you're interested in Japanese comics, there will be plenty of people who love that too. For most of us, the online community provides support, it builds our confidence, and we feel loved

So, if online friends are so good, do we need real friends? Interestingly, Dr Carley's research suggests that we do. As he points out, with your real friends, you are in the same physical space; you create memories together as you experience and enjoy doing things with each other. You have to be more responsible with your real friends, as you can't just 'unfriend' them if you disagree with them.

Dr Carley explains the science. 'When you are with your friends, you get hugs and high fives. Hugging is good for us because our body produces a chemical called oxytocin that makes us us feel good and we also feel trust and love. Chatting to your best pals, you copy their words and gestures. When they smile, you smile too! So, in conclusion, both real friends and online friends are great - they just help us in different ways'