Girl Relationships As girls reach adolescence, huge changes in their physical, emotional and social being take place.
{"Image DocumentName": "Girl RelationshipsAs girls reach adolescence, huge changes in their physical, emotional and social being take place.", "Image ImageDescription": "Girls become more self-conscious during adolescence - the safety of a group is paramount. Girls\u2019 brains are \u2018hard-wired\u2019 to care about one-on-one relationships while the brains of boys are more attuned to group dynamics and competition with other boys. At a time of great personal change and upheaval, being singled out to be \u2018different\u2019 is a danger. The friendship group represent safety. The need for the safety of a friendship group becomes all the more crucial \u2013 friends are no longer simply playmates or those who share common interests, but a protection from being singled out and being seen to be different. Relate earlier: as early as infancy with eye contact; Acquire access to left brain earlier than boys \u2013 social and emotional skills have roots there; Ability to relate carries over into play \u2013 girls play is less competitive (there are no winners in hopscotch or jump rope) Emotional damage: Girls resort to rumor, gossip, exclusion and other forms of relational aggression, rather than using fists; girls use words. Bodies: earlier onset of puberty; cultural messages are critical \u2013 sexualized clothing, body size, eating disorders. Equal but feminine: be strong women but still women (compassionate, nurturing) studies examining gender differences in adolescent reports of intimacy indicate that females (1) develop more intimate friendships, (2) stress the importance of maintaining intimacy, and (3) expect more intimacy in their friendships than do males (Clark & Ayers, 1993.", "Image XResolution": "37", "Image YResolution": "37", "Image ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Centimeter", "Image Software": "SlidePlayer", "Image YCbCrPositioning": "Centered"}