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Resumo

When a previously single close friend enters a romantic relationship, the friendship may be impacted as the friend shifts time and attention toward the romance. The current research investigated whether need fulfillment, uncertainty, and negative affect change when a person's close friend begins a new romantic relationship. In Study 1, participants (N = 334) retrospectively reported their perceptions of a best friendship before and after the best friend formed a romantic relationship. In Study 2, participants (N = 148) evaluated up to four best friendships 7 weeks apart and indicated whether their best friends had entered romantic relationships during this period. People recalled experiencing a decrease in friendship need fulfillment and increases in uncertainty and negative affect after a best friend started a romantic relationship (Study 1); however, people did not perceive those unique changes when reporting on best friendships before and after their friend entered a romantic relationship (Study 2). Greater relationship‐specific attachment anxiety and avoidance also amplified perceived friendship changes and negative affect when reporting retrospectively (Study 1) but not when reporting prospectively (Study 2). Together, these findings provide insight into the perceived but potentially limited impact of romantic relationships on friendships.

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