We are Just Friends: The Aspects that Lead an Opposite-sex Friendship to Maintain a Platonic

Relationship and Not Further Beyond That

A Research Paper Submitted to the

NU Fairview

Senior High School

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

Practical Research 2 for

Humanities and Social Sciences

Almoquera, Rochelle

Alvario, Avy

Argarin, Kirby

Bucoy, Jared

Chua, Lilybelle

Guardian, Chloe Lianne

Tuliao, Francheska Cyrelle

January 2024

1
This research paper is titled:

We are Just Friends: The Aspects that Lead an Opposite-sex Friendship to maintain a Platonic

Relationship and not Further Beyond That

prepared and submitted by Almoquera, Rochelle, Alvario, Avy, Argarin, Kirby, Bucoy, Jared,

Chua, Lilybelle, Guardian, Chloe Lianne, and Tuliao, Francheska Cyrelle has been approved and

accepted as fulfillment of the requirements in Practical Research 2.

Venice Jastine Paraz

Course Facilitator

PANEL OF EXAMINERS

approved by the NUFV Senior High School for Practical Research 2 on November 15, 2023.

Member Subject Specialist

Recognized by the Language and Research Coordinator

Erika Gin C. Constantino-Bacuyag, LPT

Language and Research Coordinator,

Senior High School Department

and the Senior High School Administrators

Erika Gin C. Constantino-Bacuyag, LPT Erna D. Rosario, LPT, RGC

HUMSS Strand Head Senior High School Principal

2
Certificate of Originality

We hereby declare that this submission is our original work and that, to the best of our

knowledge and belief, it contains no material previously published or written by another person nor

material to which a substantial extent has been accepted for the award of any other institute, except

where due acknowledgment is made in the text.

We also declare that the intellectual content of this thesis is the product of our work, even

though we may have received assistance from others on style, presentation, and language expression.

Almoquera, Rochelle

Alvario, Avy

Argarin, Kirby

Bucoy, Jared

Chua, Lilybelle

Guardian, Chloe Lianne

Tuliao, Francheska Cyrelle

________________________________ ____________

Signature of adviser over printed name Date

3
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The researchers would like to show gratitude to the following who gave their assistance and

support for the fulfillment of this study.

First of all, we want to thank Our Almighty God, who gave us never-ending guidance and

love towards developing our business.

Second, to our dearest practical research teacher, Ms. Venice Jastine Paraz, because she

helped us strengthen ourselves and our research from day one. To be honest, our journey in creating

our research paper was never easy; we came across a lot of ups and downs, but we will be forever

grateful to Ma'am Venice. Without her courageous guidance, we would not be here today, presenting

proudly.

Thirdly, To our fellow researchers and co-members: Almoquera, Rochelle, Alvario, Avy,

Argarin, Kirby, Bucoy, Jared, Chua, Lilybelle, Guardian, Chloe Lianne and Tuliao, Francheska

Cyrelle Without you and your striving dedication to our research paper, all things will not be the

same.

And lastly, we would like to express our humble gratitude and trust towards you for being our

panelists today. We present to you our research paper titled: We are Just Friends: The Aspects that

Lead an Opposite-sex Friendship to Maintain a Platonic Relationship and not further beyond that for

you to enjoy what we worked so hard for. We hope and ensure that this research paper will determine

the aspects that may lead an opposite-sex friendship to remain a platonic relationship. May God bless

us all.

4
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Acknowledgments.............................................................................................................................. 4

Chapter I: The Problem and its Background ............................................................................... 6

Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 7
Statement of the Problem ..................................................................................................... 8
Significance of the Study ..................................................................................................... 9
Scope and Delimitations of the Study .................................................................................. 10
Definition of Terms .............................................................................................................. 11

Chapter II: Theoretical Framework............................................................................................... 14

2.1.1 Interpersonal Perception in Relationship ........................................................... 14
2.1.2 Attraction Theory .............................................................................................. 15
2.1.3 Mating Activation Hypothesis ........................................................................... 16
Review of Related Literature ............................................................................................. 17
2.1 Friendship ......................................................................................................... 17
2.2 Opposite-sex Friendship ................................................................................... 18
2.3 Platonic Relationship ....................................................................................... 18
2.4 Affection ........................................................................................................... 20
2.5 Romantic Relationship ..................................................................................... 20
Conceptual Framework ..................................................................................................... 21

Chapter III: Research Methodology .............................................................................................. 23

3.2.1 Non-Experimental Research: ........................................................................... 23
3.2.2 Convenience-Purposive Sampling.................................................................... 24
3.3 Population and Sample .............................................................................................. 25
3.4 Research Instrument .................................................................................................. 26
3.5 Data Gathering Procedure ......................................................................................... 27
3.6 Statistical Treatment of Data ..................................................................................... 28
3.7 Ethical Consideration ............................................................................................... 30

5
 CHAPTER I

THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

Platonic Relationships, also known as non-sexually attracted to the opposite sex, embody the

maintenance of interaction between Men and Women in casual-sex friendships free, from any

attraction that can cause hindrance to their friendships (Weger, H., Cole, M., & Akbulut, 2019). It is

given that men and women have different sets of attraction towards their opposite sexual preferences,

as well as how they foresee these aspects of communicating their feelings towards their friends.

Given that there is closeness in friendship, it benefits their happiness, but thus do these aspects come

with greater challenges? (Newman, C. 2019)

Nowadays, teenagers are more open regarding social interaction with the opposite sex. Some

teenagers find it easy to get along with the opposite sex, but some still keep their distance, avoiding

or drawing boundaries from their friends (Dharsana, I. K., Suarni, N. K., Sudarsana, G. N.,

Paramartha, W. E., & Ahmad, M. 2020). This study will analyze the aspects that lead an opposite-sex

friendship to maintain a platonic relationship and not further beyond that.

This study is limited to people who fit the following criteria: (1) The respondent and their

friend must have been friends for more than a month, (2) the respondent and their friend should both

be attracted to the opposite sex, (3) the respondent should be from NU Fairview Senior High School;

their friends will be considered even if they’re from other educational institutions, (4) the respondent

and their friend should both be single, (5) The respondent and their friend must have no previous

romantic relationship with each other (this includes friends-with-benefits, situationships, unlabeled

relationships, and mutual understanding). This limitation of respondents will give the researcher a

concrete rate of data gathered based on the results of the responses of the respondents.

6
Introduction

According to the APA Dictionary of Psychology, friendship is a relationship between two or

more people. It is voluntary; satisfying each other’s interests is involved, and shared experiences are

developed. On the other hand, romantic relationships are also mutual and voluntary, but it is

distinguished by specific gestures and assertions of affection and intimacy (Usera, 2021). 55% of

Gen Z consider friendship as something more valuable than a relationship, and a 2020 Oxford study

showed that both genders (male and female) turn up to having higher levels of intimacy with their

best friends than with romantic partners (Yaseen, 2023).

There are two kinds of intimacy, and the first one is friendship-based intimacy, wherein it is a

cognitive and emotional experience involving psychological independence, comfort, and

compassion. When two people become friends with the intention of only being friends with each

other, they can still develop friendship-based intimacy and progress to experiencing sexual desires

for each other in the future. For the record, 30% to 60% of opposite-sex friendships report at least

moderate sexual attraction to each other. The second type of intimacy is passion-based intimacy,

wherein it consists of romance, passion, and positive arousal (Stinson, 2021). This study focuses on

the use of friendship-based intimacy because one of the variables of this study is platonic

relationships.

For a person to develop feelings or fall in love, there are factors such as similarity, proximity,

desirability, reciprocal liking, and filling needs (Missouripip, 2023). When a person in a platonic

relationship does develop feelings for the other person in the equation, there will be a series of cons

such as losing the other person as a friend, dynamics changing within the friendship, and not being

able to know the person deeply by asking questions from the start (BetterHelp Editorial Team, 2023).

Attachment is the most important factor in long-term friendships (Wu, 2017), and healthy attachment

can lead two people to relationships that have evolved (Sosnoski, 2022).

7
 More than half of the Gen Zs interviewed may consider friendship as something more

valuable than romantic relationships, but a study still showcased at max 60% of opposite-sex

friendships to having a sexual attraction to each other, and sexual attraction can lead to a deeper

relationship. This study aims to find out the aspects that lead an opposite-sex friendship to maintain a

platonic relationship and not further beyond that quantitatively and answer whether or not men and

women can be just friends.

Statement of the Problem

This research study will determine the aspects that may lead to the platonic relationships between

men and women to maintain a platonic relationship and not further beyond that in NU Fairview

Senior High School Division. The purpose of this study is to provide answers to the following

questions:

How often do opposite-sex friendships stay platonic?

Specific Questions:

1. How many of the respondents consider their friendship with their opposite-sex friends to only

be platonic?

a. Female Respondents

b. Male Respondents

2. To what extent do individuals feel the need to draw boundaries between their opposite-sex

friends?

a. Physical Boundaries

b. Emotional Boundaries

3. How do the following aspects affect a Platonic Relationship between opposite-sex friends:

8
 a. Time-Aspect

b. Proximity-Aspect

c. Attraction-Aspect

Significance of the Study

The purpose of this study is to calculate the proportion of friends who are the opposite sex and stay

in platonic relationships. Given the prejudice society currently has against friendships between

people of different sexes, this study will contribute to the body of evidence showing that such

relationships are feasible. Thus, this study will be beneficial to the following but not limited to:

People

This study will help promote friendships between adolescents of different sexes rather than restrict

them because of social standards. Additionally, it will foster connections between various people,

enabling them to freely exchange knowledge without feeling guarded. This will encourage

cooperation and understanding between the sexes rather than conflict and division.

Society

This will foster innovative and open-minded thinking and help us break free from outdated attitudes

that prevent us from progressing in an ever-changing society. The research's factual data will assist in

dispelling stereotypes and exaggerated expectations that are exclusively focused on a person's gender

and sexual orientation, fostering mutual respect in the community.

Researchers

This could be used as a reference for research projects in the same or related topics in the future.

Topics like identity, gender, and relationships may be dissected and revolutionary findings may result

from the data presented in this study.

9
Female Students

This will assist female students in making friends with people of the opposite sex without hesitation,

as opposed to the common misconception that friendships between people of different sexes may

only ever have romantic overtones and never be platonic or simply friends. This will also help

female students communicate and become acquainted with the opposite-sex without being seen as

unchaste or unvirtuous.

Male Students

Psychologists

Psychologists can gain a deeper insight into how opposite-sex friendships and intimate relationships

impact individuals and society by using the research findings to better understand how people

perceive, think, feel, and behave towards their opposite-sex friends. This understanding can aid in the

development of effective treatments aimed at establishing healthy relationships and enhancing the

quality of life of every individual. Additionally, this research can contribute to creating solid data

that can help psychologists to make informed decisions in the future.

Scope and delimitations

The general intent of this study is to determine the aspects that may lead an opposite-sex friendship

among Senior High School students at NU Fairview to maintain a platonic relationship and not

further beyond that. Furthermore, this research aims to determine how often an opposite-sex

friendship remains a platonic relationship and not a romantic one in a quantifiable manner.

10
In this study, the researchers conducted a criteria pre-survey on all students from all strands which

are HUMSS, STEM, and ABM. Afterward, all of the eligible participants were surveyed. To acquire

precise data on the factors influencing the friendship of opposite sexes to stay into a platonic one and

not further beyond that, the researchers established a set of criteria before conducting the study. This

study is limited to all senior high school students studying at NU Fairview who must have at least

one (1) opposite-sex friend either from NU Fairview or a different university. The pair of

opposite-sex friends should both be attracted to the opposite sexes and must also be friends for at

least a month, to be eligible to participate in this study. In accordance with B. McCarthy & S. W.

Duck, (1976) examination of subgroups of 1-6 months were considered as tentative friends and has a

relevant preference for dissimilarity during the course period of friendship, as it was expressed to

discovered implications about the likely continuance of the relationship as friends. (2) The set pair of

respondents must be both single to not establish unbiased and limited answers due to wanting to have

a safer answer when they are in a relationship. This study aims for concrete, concise, and accurate

answers.

Furthermore, this study does not cover the issues that may resurface from opposite-sex

friendships. In addition, it also does not cover friendships that have already turned into romantic

relationships or friendships that transformed from romantic relationships, to further elaborate these

other previous relationships include friends-with-benefits, situation-ships, unlabeled relationships,

and mutual understanding. This study focuses solely on the aspects that may lead an opposite-sex

friendship to maintain the platonic relationship and not further than that.

11
Hypothesis

The null hypothesis of the research states that there are no factors that maintain platonic

relationships within opposite-sex friendships.

The alternative hypothesis of the research states that there are factors that maintain platonic

relationships within opposite-sex friendships.

Definition of Terms

Attraction - is the sense of closeness, interest, or desire you feel toward someone. This can include

things like admiring or taking an interest in the subject of your attraction and wanting to connect

with them (Kunde, 2022) It is the feeling of liking someone enough to the point of wanting to form a

connection with them, which can become platonic or romantic.

Friends-with-benefits (FWB) - This is a type of relationship where two people are physically

intimate with each other, but they aren’t committed to an official relationship. When two people are

in an FWB relationship, they usually mean “no strings attached”, and people who are in this type of

relationship could mean that they lack emotional commitment, and have a hard time committing to

obligations in relationships (Lloyd, 2023)

Generation Z - is the term used to call the generation of people born in the years 1997-2012

(Dimock, 2019) Most of the respondents for this research are students born in this generation.

National University-Fairview - a branch of National University stationed in Fairview, Quezon City.

National University-Fairview is a private educational institution that provides learning to Senior

High School and College students. It is where the respondents of this research are currently studying.

12
Opposite-sex Friends (OSF) - (can also be called Male-female friendships) refers to platonic

relationships between men and women. These relationships are non-romantic and are based on

mutual respect, shared interests, and genuine affection. They can vary in terms of closeness, from

casual acquaintances to deeply bonded best friends (Grouport, n.d.)

Platonic Relationship - is defined as intense connections between individuals that are deeply

intimate without being romantic or sexual (Buchwald, 2023) These relationships provide both parties

with an emotional connection, where they are able to support, encourage, provide care, and put their

trust in one another.

Romantic Relationship - is defined as mutual, ongoing, and voluntary interactions between two

partners that are characterized by specific expressions of affection and intimacy; this definition

focuses on interactions [i.e., mutual, ongoing, and voluntary] and expressions [i.e., affection and

intimacy] (Usera, 2021) These relationships are often intimate and are based on the feelings of love

both parties have for each other.

Sexual Attraction - is the attraction an individual feels that causes them to desire sexual contact

with another person (Alken, 2022) This includes having intense feelings or affection towards the

other and can result in wanting to have a romantic and deeper relationship with them.

Situationships - According to the slang dictionary, Situationships are a romantic or sexual

relationship that is undefined and noncommittal. It can mean that both parties of the relationship are

unwilling to commit to each other or have not taken the thought of being in a proper relationship

with one another into consideration.

13
Society - According to the dictionary, it is an organized group of persons associated together for

religious, benevolent, cultural, scientific, political, patriotic, or other purposes. Societies form social

roles as designated labor to fulfill the needs of the whole and identify behaviors that are considered

acceptable or unacceptable. These social roles and behaviors within the society then form stereotypes

and societal norms that will be expected by everyone towards each other.

Unlabeled Relationships - is an arrangement between two people who are choosing not to adopt any

such terms to describe their relationship. A relationship without labels can be exclusive or not

exclusive, and it can fall anywhere between very casual and strictly sexual to totally emotionally

invested and committed (Gonsalves, 2019) It is when both parties are uncertain of the current

standing of their relationship that they opt for an Unlabeled Relationship to help them focus on their

current connection rather than facing the societal burdens of having a label towards each other.

14
 CHAPTER II

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

3 Relevant Theories

These theories attempt to demonstrate the likelihood of an authentic, strictly platonic kind of

connection existing between the opposing sexes in the present generation, where opposite-sex

friendships are increasingly accepted but still viewed with aversion and biases. This study will

analyze the aspects that may Lead an Opposite-sex Friendship to Maintain a Platonic Relationship.

There are longitudinal studies that explore the future closeness of casual relationships of friend pairs,

and it was observed and analyzed based on their performance that collected data from the subjects.

The Attraction Theory tackles how different individuals perceive interest and attraction based on the

following factors: Personal Appearance, Proximity, Similarity, and Complementarity. The Mating

Activation Hypothesis delves into the explanation of why Humans seek affection and the benefits

that attract an individual to pursue an interpersonal relationship.

2.1.1 Interpersonal Perception in Relationship

Interpersonal perception theory is a specific area of psychology related to how people view one

another. This theory contributes to the important aspect of communication with one another based on

both verbal and nonverbal cues. In these, it was usually labeled to the certain individual to be

“reliable” or “friendly” and have the initial impression be limited to people who have different

perceptions and understanding of someone (Liang, R. D., Phillipson, H., & Lee, A. R 1966). This

theory aims to identify different personalities shaped by these kinds of individuals and judge them

towards each other.

15
A Longitudinal Investigation of Sustained Closeness Between Bestfriends, The first published

report of this study was submitted by Griffin & Sparks (1990), which examined friendship data

collected after 4 years of the initial phase from the paired individuals who shared the level of

closeness of friendships. This theory briefly introduced the description of how months of closeness

emerged with the idea of sustaining their relationship, self-disclosure, and many more. It examined

the number of paired participants over 4 years, monitoring their interaction, well-being, and how

they associate with one another.

In the study of friendship and proximity. and self-disclosure contributes to the sustainable friendship

of opposite-sex pair friends. It was explored by sets of individuals who administered highly related

disclosures in non-intimate relationships with one another. It was suggested that the proximity of

these individuals tends to develop deeper connections towards each other, revealing aspects such as

the level of self-disclosure and the level of closeness that can contribute to it (Rubin & Shenker,

1978)

2.1.2 Attraction Theory

Attraction theory, established by psychologist Samuel Frenning (2004), explores different reasons

why people tend to be attracted to one another and why people choose to establish and preserve

relationships with one another. This theory’s foundation is the idea of reinforcement, which suggests

that attraction develops and is maintained by a result. People will become more drawn to one another

and be more likely to maintain or stick with the relationship (platonic or romantic) if they

consistently experience the desired result. He explained that there are three different types of

attraction: task attraction, which is drawn to a person's abilities and dependability; physical

attraction, which is the attraction to a person because of their appearance and looks; and social

attraction, which is related to the attraction to someone's personality.

16
Frenning’s attraction theory also states that there are four underlying aspects of interpersonal

attraction: Personal Appearance, Proximity, Similarity, and Reward (Leung & Boyd, n.d.). The

first factor, personal appearance, refers to how other people look. Proximity, the second factor, has to

do with how frequently a person encounters someone. This states that a person's likelihood of

becoming attracted to someone increases with the number of instances they see them. It also shows

that people form relationships with those around them, with those they interact with frequently. The

third factor, similarity refers to the idea that if two people have lots in common in terms of hobbies

and interests, they are more likely to find each other attractive because when they can relate to each

other, it makes them more comfortable and familiar. The last factor is reward, which refers to the

things that the person can gain from the relationship.

2.1.3 Mating Activation Hypothesis

The Mating Activation Hypothesis states that both heterosexual men and women have preferences

for opposite-sex friends similar to their preferences for mating partners. Most heterosexual men

largely favor the physical attractiveness of female friends, while most heterosexual women largely

favor their male friends’ capability to provide physical and financial security. This was said to be a

manifestation of evolved human mating strategies with origins as old as humanity (Syzmkow, et al.,

2022). In the Mating Activation Hypothesis, it is postulated that the trait of physical attractiveness is

predominantly favored by men as opposed to women.

Furthermore, The Theory of Need Similarity posits that people with similar affective characteristics

and personality traits have more of a tendency to find their interpersonal interactions with each other

to be more satisfying and that this was a prospective component for romantic relationships

17
(Guinsburg, 1973) In the same research, Izard’s (1960) observation of friendships among high school

students led him to hypothesize that mutual friends have similar personality profiles. This means that

all heterosexual opposite-sex friendships have the capacity to be romantic partners, just from the

mere fact that the two people already deem each other desirable enough to be friends. The only thing

that would be missing then, for it to be a romantic relationship, is a sexual component and even that

can be developed over time (Stinson, Cameron, Hoplock, 2021) In addition to Buchwald (2023) one

of the two essential elements of a romantic relationship is similarity.

These theories and concepts support a theoretical framework wherein physical attraction, or lack

thereof, was the ultimate factor that dictates whether a platonic relationship is likely or unlikely to

escalate into a romantic relationship and that all platonic relationships are at risk of becoming

romantic because platonic relationships already fulfill the similarity component (Buchwald, 2019)

Related Review of Literature

2. 1 Friendship

Friendship has a major impact as profound as it is underestimated. In the Ancient Greek

Philosophized, it was keyed to eudaimonia as suggested to be people’s well-being as it was

interconnected with someone and is concerned with living well or one’s potential to associate with

others (Huta, V. 2013, Eudaimonia). Friendships powerfully influence certain sectors of one’s health,

such as mental and physical health–well-being. It was stated by Fransco, M. (2022) in Planotic: How

the science of attachment can help you make–and–keep–friends, friendship releases pressure that

carries with bound of the stress of life such infuses people with joy like no other relationships can

provide, it provides greater internal factors like fulfilling each other’s happiness and pleasures

because it was considered to be flexible depending on the person’s needs.

18
2.2 Opposite-sex Friendship

According to Szymkow, A., & Frankowska, N. (2020) in Moderators of sexual interest in

opposite-sex friends, opposite-sex friendships or relationships have played an important role in

women’s and men's lives, for opposite-sex friends can have great companionship in developing

personal relationships with someone with substantial levels of intimacy. This paper introduced the

nature of opposite-sex friendship as it disclosed the most desirable qualities of women and men's

relationship towards one another. An individual merely could commit to an opposite-sex relationship

as the formality of friendships.

2.3 Platonic Relationship

The close relationship between men and women, also known as the platonic relationship, is a

cross-sex friendship that does not involve any sexual activity, sexual attraction, or any historical

relationship beyond the limitation of common or casual friendships. It was characterized to be an

interdependent relationship between men and women, as they both shared interaction, connection,

and attachment as friends (Weger, H., Cole, M., & Akbulut, V. 2019). The overall performance of

opposite-sex friends towards each other and how mostly they anticipate their relationship as they

limit their engagement towards one another which will not lead into considerable to being romantic;

as only they are just platonic friends.

Buchwald (2023) from Manhattan Mental Health Counseling defines a platonic relationship as,

“deeply intimate without being romantic or sexual. In some ways, a platonic relationship is one

where the people involved feel they’ve met their soulmate, whether that person is a spouse, a friend,

a mentor, or even a sibling.” What is more, characteristics involved in a platonic relationship include

19
trust, vulnerability, honesty, communication, mutual admiration, and support. appreciation, and

respect (Buchwald, 2023).

In the study Friends Without Benefits: Cross-Sex Platonic Relationships: Do the Benefits Outweigh

the Challenges? (Newman, 2019) postulates that there are definite challenges in maintaining

heterosexual relationships, two of which include Perceived Sex Differences and the Role of the

Evolutionary Theory. The Role of the Evolutionary Theory validates the Mating Activation

Hypothesis in which, “Men and women’s experiences in cross-sex friendships [or heterosexual

relationships] often incorporate these historically evolved mating strategies.” (Newman, 2019) The

historically evolved mating strategies refer to the favorable characteristics in opposite sex friends

similar to romantic partners that are exclusive to the sex (Lewis D. M. G., Al-Shawaf L.,

Conroy-Beam D., Asao K., Buss D. M. 2012) More importantly, Newman’s research found that

Perceived Sex Differences (PSD) was something some opposite sex friends must look out for in

order to maintain a platonic relationship and not let it escalate to either a romantic relationship or

failed platonic relationship. PSD is defined as Males’ tendency to emphasize the sexual prospect of

their platonic relationships with women (Newman, 2019) To display the prominence of PSD,

another research shows that 66% of men feel that their platonic friends could turn into romantic

partners (Halatsis & Christakis, 2009) While PSD is not exclusive to men, as women may also

perceive their male friends this way, both males and females reported that they felt their platonic

relationship was threatened because of PSD only more so in women rather than men. To shine more

light on why men are more susceptible to different cases of PSD, numerous studies demonstrate that

it is because of their psychosexual and evolutionary role as men that justifies the more aggressive

approach to women (Newman, 2019) This perceived role also supports the aforementioned mating

activation hypothesis (Lewis D. M. G., Al-Shawaf L., Conroy-Beam D., Asao K., Buss D. M. 2012)

20
2.4 Affection

Affection is the need for positive regard from someone and having the feeling of positive regard for

another, often associated with affectionate actions or behaviors that occur in relationships ranging

from casual, acquaintance to intimate or romantic (Pendell, S. D. 2002). There were experiences and

expressions of affection that were considerably interconnected or linked in various communication

through expressive deception towards someone. It portrayed affectionate feelings or presents to

someone thus validating emotions and behaviors from dependent variables (Floyd, K. 2019).

2.5 Romantic Relationship

A romantic relationship is defined as contemporary “mutual, ongoing and voluntary interactions

between two partners that are characterized by specific expressions of affection and intimacy.”

Furthermore, this study found that there are two characteristics an individual takes into account when

it comes to picking a romantic partner: physical attraction and similarity. (Useraa, 2021)

In which Both definitions lead to the inference that the only essential factor that separates platonic

relationships from romantic relationships is a sexual component. An important element that platonic

relationships that want to stay platonic must be aware of.

21
Conceptual Framework

Figure 1 . Conceptual Framework

Figure 1 presents the conceptual framework of the study using the IPO format.

Input. The first frame includes the demographic profile of the respondents which allows the

researchers to identify the respondents’ biological sex as well as their grade level and section.

Through this, the researchers can gather accurate and unbiased data. Additionally, this frame

presents the variables of the study, namely Opposite-sex Friendship, the independent variable, and

the dependent variable, Maintaining a Platonic Relationship.

Process. The second frame presents the process of the study. The constructed criteria as well as the

main survey that was utilized through MS forms, and finally, the analysis of the gathered data in a

quantitative manner.

Output. Lastly, the third frame presents the output of the study, which is to lead an opposite-sex

friendship to maintain a platonic relationship and not further beyond that.

The single-headed arrows, starting from the input to the process, show the relationship between the

aspects as well as the actions taken to produce the results.

22
 CHAPTER III

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.1 This chapter discussed the methodology used by the researcher as they conducted this study.

The parts discussed are the methods and techniques of this study, wherein it is intricate on how this

research is considered non-experimental research, quantitative descriptive analysis research, and how

it used the purposive sampling technique. This chapter also discussed the total number of participants

used for this study, which was introduced as a purposive sampling technique. How were the precise

respondents chosen in this study based on the set criteria created by the researcher beforehand?

Furthermore, this chapter expounds on the research instruments, their type and medium, and the

process conducted from the gathering process procedure. The gathered data are expounded beyond

more in this chapter under the process of data gathering.

3.2 Methods and Techniques of the Study

3.2.1 Non-Experimental Research, Survey Research: Quantitative Descriptive Analysis

In this research study, the researcher will apply Quantitative Descriptive Analysis, wherein

this method will analyze the applied aspects that lead an opposite-sex friendship to maintain

their casual relationship and not further beyond that. According to Sidel and Bleibaum’s

Quantitative Descriptive Analysis in 2018, this method aims to provide directly generalizable

to consumers, scientifically rigorous procedures with quantifiable results, and a basis for

quantification and statistical analysis in this research study.

23
3.2.2 Purposive Sampling

Purposive Sampling involves picking out, recognizing, and selecting participants who are

knowledgeable about the phenomenon being tackled (Cresswell & Plano Clark, 2011). It was

used in discovering the fitted respondents for this research study. It is designed to choose sets

of respondents on purpose and not randomly to collect data from certain people that are

needed to fit in and its objective is to satisfy the needed bases of respondents and co-align

with the researcher’s conviction. It relies on the study population, thus the entirety of

coverage of respondents was dependent on the researcher’s knowledge and judgment to be

suitable for the participant of this research study. (Etikan, I., Musa, S. A. & Alkassim, R. S.

2016)

The researchers are looking for a set of pairs of respondents who fit the criteria, in the

research for respondents who should be targeted in common ideal vision to attain the main

goal of this study and able to provide concrete data results. The criteria were set as a

standard: (1) The respondent and their friend must have been friends for more than a month.

(2) The respondent and their friend should both be attracted to the opposite sex. (3) The

respondents should be from NU Fairview Senior High School; their friends will be

considered even if they are from other educational institutions. (4) The respondent and their

friend should both be single. (5) The respondent and their friend must have no previous

romantic relationship with each other (this includes friends-with-benefits, situationships,

unlabeled relationships, and mutual understanding).

24
Population and Sample of the Study

Number of
Respondents for this 60
Study

Qualifications of the
Respondents (1) The respondent and their friend must have been friends for more

than a month.

(2) The respondent and their friend should both be attracted to the

opposite sex.

(3) The respondents should be from NU Fairview Senior High School;

their friends will be considered even if they are from other

educational institutions.

(4) The respondent and their friend should both be single.

(5) The respondent and their friend must have no previous romantic

relationship with each other (this includes friends-with-benefits,

situationships, unlabeled relationships, and mutual understanding).

The respondents were gathered from all strands available at the NU Fairview Senior High School

Department, namely: STEM, HUMSS, and ABM. These respondents were evaluated by the set

criteria for this research study to further answer and be part of the study, specifically: “How often do

opposite-sex friendships stay platonic?” and the aspects that affect the outcome of an opposite-sex

friendship to either incline to being more platonic or romantic.

The number of respondents is set in relation to the sampling technique that is used in this research

which is non-probability sampling, specifically, Purposive Sampling. The number of participants is

25
set to sixty (60) to ensure that the data collected provides sufficient information to answer the

questions that this study aims to answer.

Research Instrument

The research instruments used to gather data for this study were acquired from the constructed

criteria for the actual gathering and these criteria were to predetermine the eligible respondents for

this study, which means the listed participants are the total population of potential respondents of this

study. The researchers constructed the criteria to be briefly deliberated in all rooms, both N and U

Hall, per grade level and section, specifically: (1) The respondent and their friend must have been

friends for more than a month. (2) The respondent and their friend should both be attracted to the

opposite sex. (3) The respondents should be from NU Fairview Senior High School; their friends will

be considered even if they are from other educational institutions.(4) The respondent and their friend

should both be single. (5) The respondent and their friend must have no previous romantic

relationship with each other (this includes friends-with-benefits, situationships, unlabeled

relationships, and mutual understanding). The processing of data was thoroughly prepared by the

researchers, who precisely asked the class presidents for assistance in gathering the names of

respondents who answered yes to all the questions and proceeded to collect their names and decimate

the researchers. In addition, to ensure that listed respondents are particularly monitored throughout

the procedure, the researcher digitally lists the class grade level and section, the class schedule based

on whether morning or afternoon sessions, room numbers, and the letter of the hall. The systematic

process of this research instrument conveys convenience to the researchers and respondents, as they

have free will to access the study and evaluate themselves to see whether they fit the criteria and if

they are willing to participate in it.

26
Data Gathering Procedure

The researchers created a set of criteria that led to the needed respondents for this study; thus, the

criteria were based on the existing review of related works of literature (RRL). Afterward, it was

submitted to the research adviser to be checked, modified, and approved. Once the set of criteria had

been approved, the researchers went room to room in both the N and U Hall to look for respondents

who fit the set of criteria, briefly discussed the research study and the set of criteria to provide

precise deliberation of information, and informed the class presidents of each section that the

researcher sent them links containing all information needed to know about this study. Afterward, it

was disseminated through their class section group chats. Once the Senior High School students from

each section found themselves to fit the given criteria, they reached out to their class presidents and

had their names listed and collected, which then the class presidents transmitted through the

researchers via MS Teams. It was reassured to the Senior High School students that the only people

who knew their information were themselves, the class presidents, and the respondents. When the

collected list of names had been disseminated to the researchers, the researchers created a Microsoft

Excel file containing the grade level and sections, morning or afternoon classes, the class section

status of waiting lists, and the names of the potential respondents. The researchers opened the

waiting list of names per class grade and section until the researchers got the required number of

respondents to be used in the study.

27
Statistical Treatment of Data

As the gathered data was acquired from the respondents, it was interpreted through the use of

Frequency and Percentage Distribution and Weighted Mean.

I. Frequency and Percentage Distribution

The Frequency and Percentage Distribution is used for this study in order to acquire the demographic

profile of the respondents

Formula:

𝑓
% = 𝑁
× 100

% = Percentage

f = Frequency

N = Number of Respondents

100 = Constant Value

II. Weighted Mean

The researchers used the formula of Weighted Mean in determining the responses of the SHS

students at NU Fairview.

Formula:

Σ𝑥𝑤
𝑋 = Σ𝑤

𝑋 = Mean

Σ = Summation Symbol

𝑥 = Measurement Value

𝑤 = Number or Measurement

28
The outcome of the data collection is then interpreted and analyzed using the Likert Scale. The

questionnaire findings are presented in categories along with the points assigned.

Scale Interpretation Symbol

4 Always A

3 Often O

2 Sometimes S

1 Rarely R

Scale Interpretation Symbol

4 Very Good VG

3 Good G

2 Okay OK

1 Bad B

Scale Interpretation Symbol

4 Very Happy VH

3 Happy H

2 Unhappy UH

1 Very Unhappy VUH

29
Scale Interpretation Symbol

4 Very Attractive VA

3 Attractive AT

2 Slightly Attractive SA

1 Not Attractive NA

30
ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS

Risks such as the co-researchers identities, confidentiality of information, data from documentation,

and request for privacy may be included in conducting the study, but as ethical researchers, there will

be considerations such as those listed below:

a.) If the co-researcher does not want to be known, he/she might use another name to conceal his/her

identity.

b.) If the co-researcher does not want to reveal some confidential information, he/she has the right to

do so.

c.) If the co-researcher does not want to have documentation during the study, he/she has the right to

request it.

d.) If the co-researcher has any request to prevent risks in the study, he/she has the right to give

his/her suggestions to the researchers.

Criteria:

1. The respondent and their friend must have been friends for more than a month.

2. The respondent and their friend should both be attracted to the opposite sex.

3. The respondents should be from NU Fairview Senior High School; their friends will be

considered even if they’re from other educational institutions.

4. The respondent and their friend should both be single.

5. The respondent and their friend must have no previous romantic relationship with each other

(this includes friends-with-benefits, situationships, unlabeled relationships, and mutual

understanding).

31