Are We Replacing the 'Ro' With the 'Bro'?

A study suggests that young heterosexual men are happier with their friendships than they are with their romantic relationships. Jess joined Jeff on The Morning Show to dissect the study findings. Check out the video and summary notes below.

1. Are bromances really replacing romances?

Of course not. Men have been friends with other men (regardless of sexual orientation) since the beginning of human existence and they still seek out romantic relationships.

2. What did this study find? 

• It was a small-scale study of 30 undergraduate heterosexual males.
• They found that the men in the study felt less judged by their close male friends than by their girlfriends and that it was easier for them to overcome conflicts and express their emotions in their bromances than in their romances.

3. Does this mean that men like their friends better than they like their partners? Or that they might as well forgo romantic relationships with women?

• In some cases, they may have happier relationships with their friends and in others, it may be that their friendships are longer-standing; it’s not realistic to compare the way you interact with a friend of 10-15 years with the way you interact with a partner with whom you’ve only been in a relationship for 10-15 months.

4. So what do you take from the study findings?

These findings suggest that friendships can be just as important as romantic relationships. The study is also a reminder that it’s unrealistic to expect that all of your social, emotional and even intimate needs can be addressed by one person — of one specific sex. Even if you’re only sexually attracted to women, for example, you can still derive meaningful connection and cultivate intimate relationships with people of all genders. Sex and intimacy don’t always go hand-in-hand.