LE DINAMICHE DELLE RETI E DEI LEGAMI AMICALI.

The paper presents the results of a research on friendship networks of single people. The research has been undertaken using both social network analysis tools (egonetworks) and qualitative interviews, on a non-representative sample of 23 heterosexual singles of Milan, aged between 25 and 35, 12 male and 11 female. Single youths has been portrayed as a generation who decentres sexual and romantic relationships and refuses to commit: this paper demonstrates the need for new analytical concepts in order to describe the contemporary transformations of intimacy, that underline the importance of friendship for single youth. In order to focus on the dynamics of friendship, an heuristic model has been set up, which analyses the influences of the constitutional dimensions of friendship (ideal, negotional and situational). The modifications of one of these three analytical dimensions reflect on the others in a reflexive process that shows how friendship networks and ties evolve through time and keep a strong core of long lasting bonds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]