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The Friends-to-Lovers Pathway to Romance: Prevalent, Preferred, and Overlooked by Science
Danu Anthony Stinson1, Jessica J Cameron2, Lisa B Hoplock2
1University of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.
Social Psychological and Personality Science
|March 7, 2022
Summary
Most relationship science studies romance initiation between strangers, overlooking the common friends-first pathway. Research shows friends-first romance is prevalent and preferred, yet understudied.
Area of Science:
- Social Psychology
- Relationship Science
- Human Sexuality
Background:
- Relationship initiation research predominantly focuses on romance developing between strangers.
- The
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence and preference of friends-first romantic relationship initiation.
- To identify the oversight of friends-first initiation in relationship science literature.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of relationship initiation studies in popular journals (Study 1) and textbooks (Study 2).
- Meta-analysis of seven samples (N = 1,897) assessing friends-first initiation prevalence (Study 3).
- Survey data from university students on preferred initiation methods (Study 4).
Main Results:
- Studies 1 and 2 reveal an overwhelming focus on stranger-to-romance initiation.
- Meta-analysis (Study 3) indicates two-thirds of participants reported friends-first initiation.
- University students (Study 4) preferred friends-first initiation.
Conclusions:
- Friends-first romantic relationship initiation is a prevalent and preferred pathway.
- Relationship science has significantly overlooked the friends-first initiation pathway.
- This oversight necessitates a re-evaluation of dominant relationship initiation theories.
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