Diversity and Friendship

Three primary levels of diversity, including race/ethnicity, gender, and age, define the diversity of who people befriend as they affect the shared identity, experiences, and contact opportunities. The literature on social networks reveals that individuals often have ties with other people who are similar to them (homophily), which results in same-race and same-gender friendships and a difference in the strength of relations between age groups (McMillan, 2022). The racial and ethnic influences on friendship are based on cultural practices, language, and perceived belongingness. As a result, they tend to gravitate towards peers facing similar cultural referents and way of communicating since it lessens misunderstanding and creates trust. Gender impacts friendship patterns through socialization and anticipated emotional work; men and women might focus on dissimilar interaction styles. This has made me develop mixed- and same-gender friendships, depending on the environment and shared interests. The age influences priorities and availability; similar friends close to the same stage of life are more likely to overlap their schedules, concerns, and opportunities for frequent contact, thereby increasing chances of closeness.

Secondary dimensions such as education, socioeconomic status (SES), and geographic location, further filter social circles. Similar backgrounds in education form familiar words and networks that ease the process of connection; diverse social backgrounds may restrict shared leisure or introduce gaps in status that may impede intimacy (McMillan, 2022). Hence, exposure is geographic, as neighborhoods, schools, and workplaces are the primary places of forming friendships. Where one lives and studies significantly affects who they can meet and maintain contact with.

Therefore, secondary and primary dimensions are dynamic. For instance, the early friendships were made with classmates of the same ethnicity who lived in similar neighborhoods. In contrast, the later university life expanded my network in class, gender, and region. As such, the integration of structural opportunity, identity, and preference helps to understand why staying close to what one already knows is comfortable and why it takes deliberate action to develop diverse friendships that can broaden the outlook and enhance cross-cultural knowledge with a meaningful purpose.