RESEARCH_FILE
William K. Rawlins
Ohio University
Known for:Communication-studies theory of friendship as a relationship requiring ongoing dialectical management across life-course transitions
SEE THE PRACTICE
Turn a thought this research explains into one clear move.
THE THOUGHT
“My child changed all my friendships”
YOUR RECORDED RESPONSE
“Half the network shrinks for every new parent. This is a tide, not a judgment about me.”
ONE PRIVATE MOVE
Write down the next free afternoon or evening you have available. Do not send it anywhere. Just write it—date, time, who it could fit. Notice whether you actually knew you had that space, or only now that you've written it down.
Key findings
- 2009
In The Compass of Friendship, Rawlins argues friendships are sustained through active management of dialectical tensions like independence versus connection, and that life transitions such as parenthood test this management without signaling betrayal when contact fades. The Compass of Friendship: Narratives, Identities, and Dialogues ↗