Final answer:
The statement is true; friendships significantly contribute to children's social development by providing them with crucial experiences that shape their understanding of themselves, others, and society.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement true indicates that developmental research on friendships has demonstrated their significant impact on social development. Friendships provide critical contexts where children can gain insights about themselves, their peers, and the broader world. They assist in the psychosocial development of children, facilitating the learning of social norms and a sense of identity separate from family. Through these relationships, children learn to form healthy attachments, dealing with and understanding their emotions.
During school years, peer groups become vital agents of socialization. They offer unique socialization opportunities distinct from family interactions. As children grow, these peer interactions become one of the first major experiences of socialization outside the immediate family circle, shaping their social skills, self-esteem, and even their future relationships.
Moreover, this importance is echoed as children extend their social networks to include friends from different areas thanks to the advent of social media. Nowadays, social networks can be selected based on common interests and beliefs, which can significantly influence a child's social development and reinforce existing beliefs and behaviours.