Friendshifts : The Power of Friendship and How It Shapes Our Lives (Revised)

This is the e-book version of the 2nd edition of Friendshifts: The Power of Friendship and How It Shapes Our Lives, by sociologist, friendship expert, and coach Jan Yager, Ph.D.

In addition to a fresh cover, included in this electronic version is a new introduction, an updated bibliography, resource section, and additional materials in a new Appendix.

Friendshifts is divided into five parts: Part 1, "That's What Friends Are For," covers the power of friendship, definitions of casual, close, and best friends; perspective on friendship including the Great Friend and the Modern Friend Approach; the process of becoming friends, from acquaintance to friend; and friendship patterns (two-way, three-way, four and more friendships); Part 2, "Friendshifts, or How Friendship Changes Throughout Life," has chapters on childhood and the single years and marriage and friendship; Part 3, "How to Be a Better Friend," has chapters on how to maintain and improve a friendship; how to prevent a friendship from ending; and how to handle friendships that end; Part 4, "Work and Friendship," has two chapters including "How Friendship Enhances Your Career" and "Male and Female Work Friendships;" and Part 5, "Life and Friendship" has two chapters including, "The Friendship Factor in Everyday Life," on how to apply the author's friendship principles to befriending your relatives including your children, your father or mother, and your spouse (romantic partner) and "Summing Up." The book is based on the author's doctoral thesis and additional original research consisting of surveys and interviews.

Friendshifts is a word Dr. Yager coined to denote how sometimes our friendships may shift throughout our lives, and even how we define a friend.

Fortunately, in some instances, lifelong friendship does happen.

Friendshifts explores what you can do to help a friendship to last.

Even with the most enduring friendships, there may be an ending because of death. (There is a section in Friendshifts on "Coping with Endings Because of Death.") The examples, anecdotes, quotes, and studies cited throughout the book reinforce the notion that the right friends will help you to get ahead or to be happy in life, and even to live a longer life; the wrong friends can sabotage you or even get you hurt or killed.