GENDERED PATTERNS OF MALAYSIAN STUDENTS’ CLOSE FRIENDSHIPS

Abstract

This paper seeks to clarify the gendered patterns of Malaysian students’ close friendships and the ways in which the students practise intimacy with their close friends while living temporarily abroad. Men’s and women’s friendships patterns, in general, are different as there is a general assumption that men’s friendships are less intimate than women’s friendships, and this has been discussed in western studies. This qualitative study using friendship maps, diaries and in-depth interviews as research methods seeks to explore whether the male and female students practise close friendships differently in terms of the number of and hierarchy of friends and intimacy. Although the male students listed larger number of close friends compared to the female students in general, only small number of close friends were perceived for both students as important and intimate. This study shows that the practices of friendships are complicated around gender. Gendered patterns were reported in the hierarchy of friendship and intimacy but the level of closeness in friendship has more impact on how male and female students practise instrumental and expressive friendships.