There are all different types of friends. From the one best friend you’ve known since kindergarten to the coworker you have small talk with by the water cooler. These more casual, or “medium” friends, people you hang out with every now then, but don’t divulge all your secrets to, can be just as beneficial as your closest companions. You can stretch your social muscles, get some serotonin from your interactions, but not have to put as much time and effort into emotional labor. But these relationships can also cause some anxiety, especially when the expectations about what these friendships are get muddied. 

Today on AirTalk, we talk to Keelah Williams, professor of psychology at Hamilton College, about the more casual friends in our lives. If you have a “medium” friend and want to share your experience, we’d love to hear from you! What do you like about these looser ties? What are some challenges in these more casual friendships? Give us a call at 866-893-5722 or email us at atcomments@laist.com. 

There are all different types of friends. From the one best friend you’ve known since kindergarten to the coworker you have small talk with by the water cooler. These more casual, or <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/22/well/the-vexing-problem-of-the-medium-friend.html">“medium” friends</a>, people you hang out with every now then, but don’t divulge all your secrets to, can be just as beneficial as your closest companions. You can stretch your social muscles, get some serotonin from your interactions, but not have to put as much time and effort into emotional labor. But these relationships can also cause some anxiety, especially when the expectations about what these friendships are get muddied. 
Today on AirTalk, we talk to <a href="https://my.hamilton.edu/academics/our-faculty/directory/faculty-detail/keelah-williams">Keelah Williams</a>, professor of psychology at Hamilton College, about the more casual friends in our lives. If you have a “medium” friend and want to share your experience, we’d love to hear from you! What do you like about these looser ties? What are some challenges in these more casual friendships? Give us a call at 866-893-5722 or email us at <a href="mailto:atcomments@laist.com">atcomments@laist.com</a>.

Join Larry Mantle weekdays for lively and in-depth discussions of Los Angeles and Southern California news, politics, science, entertainment, the arts and more. More AirTalk at www.kpcc.org.

Join Larry Mantle weekdays for lively and in-depth discussions of Los Angeles and Southern California news, politics, science, entertainment, the arts and more. More AirTalk at www.kpcc.org.

Lively and in-depth discussions of city news, politics, science, entertainment, the arts, and more.

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