The relationship between gender, siblings, and friends

The relationship between friends and siblings bare many strong resemblances. In fact, there are even a number of commonly used phrases like, "My sister is my best friend," or, "He is like a brother to me," that really illustrate just how often the line between being siblings and being friends can be blurred.
There are studies that investigate how this association is achieved and what characteristics a pair of siblings or friends might need to have in order to attain this close bond. The basic underlying conclusion is that an "understanding of mind" must be achieved. In short, it is necessary for two people to have complementary personalities and to value the others differences as supplements to one's own personality. This correlation was found in obvious forms like how close friends or siblings carried on a conversation, but correlations were also found on the cognitive level. Language skills, communication skills, and socio-economic background were also important factors in explaining what made for a strong relationship between gender, siblings, and friends. Although these factors were not as important between siblings as they were between friends.
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