New research shows men get more from bromance than romance

A study by academics at the University of Winchester has revealed that young men get more out of their close friendships with other men than their romantic relationships.

Ant and Dec, the stars of the film The Hangover, Morecambe and Wise and the Inbetweeners have all proved that boys just want to have fun – with their friends.

Researchers interviewed 30 undergraduate straight men and found that they felt less judged by their bromances than by their girlfriends.

They also discovered that it was easier for them to overcome conflicts and express their emotions in their bromances than in their romances.

Adam White, a doctoral researcher at the University of Winchester, said: “This is a potentially a really significant shift in young men’s behaviour, recognising they now may be able to talk, share and support each other with a whole host of physical and mental health vulnerabilities.

“Unfortunately, while positive for men, this may disadvantage girlfriends and traditional relationships which are seen as having more pressures and regulation.

“These men told us how they would often prioritise their bromantic relations over their romances.

“So, if guys can now get all of the benefits from their bromances, it reduces male to female relations to sex.”

The study suggests that the rise in bromances can be recognised as a progressive development in the relations between men, but also suggested that this progress may negatively affect heterosexual romantic relations, for example, strong bromances could challenge traditional domestic living arrangements between men and women.Professor Eric Anderson, a professor of Sport, Masculinities and Sexualities at the University of Winchester, added: “The rise of the bromance is directly related to the diminishment of homophobia.“It signals that young, straight men no longer desire to be trapped by older, conservative notions of masculinity.”