As women, it's difficult to understand the relationships that men have with their friends as, in most cases, they are very different to the often complex friendships that women form with their fellow females. But whilst female friendship is a beautiful thing, it's often portrayed in a two-dimensional manner in popular culture. Most women-centric films to come out of Hollywood tend to depict women as perpetually quibbling with their inner circle, and often engaging in competitive behaviour. They also have one sole topic of conversation: men. Certainly, the friendships depicted in Mean Girls, Bridesmaids and Clueless were basically centred around discussing some desirable man or the other. But thankfully, in reality, it's not quite like that. Male friendships, on the other hand, seem wholly centred around cultivating a sense of camaraderie. I mean, if you steer clear of talking about anything deep and meaningful, like your relationship with your girlfriend, you're sure to have a good time, aren't you? It comes as no surprise then, that men really do have a better time hanging out with their guy friend, rather than their girlfriend. A recent study has confirmed that dudes have more fun hanging out with their mates than their significant other. Researches quizzed 30 sports undergraduates at an unnamed British university on the differences between their "bromances" and their romantic relationship. The scientists concluded that the men of our generation have discarded the machismo of yesteryear and are beginning to become more open and expressive about their emotions. Contrary to popular belief, researchers determined that men found it easier to confide in their male friends, and as such found their friendships more "satisfying" than their relationship with their girlfriends and wives. Moreover, many of the participants expressed the sentiment that they were less likely to be "nagged" by their guy friends. The lead researcher asserted that the intimate and trusting nature of the bromance has provided young men a space outside of a heterosexual relationship where they can disclose their emotions. He continued: "That study showed that young men openly pronounce love for their bromances and engage in highly intimate behaviours, both emotionally and physically, which have until recently been socially prohibited in same-sex male friendships."  Explaining that men have begun to discard the age old conviction that being emotional makes them look "gay", the scientist said: "The level of physical and emotional intimacy expressed between heterosexual young men is dependent on a number of socio-historical variables" and "homosocial intimacy flourished before the modern era." Well, I don't know about you but I'm not too surprised by these findings. I mean, I've watched the Hangover enough times to see that the boys were having a whale of a time, primarily because their wives and girlfriends weren't there to dampen the fun. Someone who is a pretty extreme example of this, is this man, who slept rough in the woods for 10 years after fleeing his wife's controlling behaviour...

I have a man problem. It isn’t an unrequited love (normal story) or a guy who just won’t quit (if only). No, this man problem comes in the shape of my best mate, flatmate and all-round, number one pal. You see, having been friends for eight years now, no one quite believes that we’re not secretly sweet on each other. Our parents ask when we’re getting married, and our friends have basically chosen their outfits. I even went on a date with his friend once, during which he asked me not once, not twice, but three times if we’d ever hooked up. The answer is no. But no matter how much we protest, no one believes us, and it’s ruining both of our dating lives. Don’t even get me started on how awkward potential partners look when we bring them home, on the rare occasion that either of us actually pulls. For years, Hollywood has peddled the “best mate to bedmate” plotline, pushing the idea that romance is an inevitable conclusion of a close male-female friendship. Unfortunately, some scientists are saying they might be right, even going so far as to say that platonic friendship is “impossible”. So can it really be that men and women can’t ever just be friends? [caption id="attachment_12345698" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Credit: Pexels[/caption] A study carried out by researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire in the US, and published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, would certainly suggest so. They recruited 88 pairs of supposedly platonic, straight, opposite-sex, undergrad friends, then split them into separate rooms and asked them to answer questions about their physical and sexual attraction towards the other, on a scale of one to nine, with nine being the highest. As you can probably imagine, no one really wanted anyone to know what answers they had given, so the results were kept strictly private - probably for the best really. Nonetheless, the results did make for some interesting reading, with researchers noticing that the men in the study were far more likely that the women to report that they felt an attraction to their supposed “friend”, regardless of their own or their friend’s relationship status. Scientists proposed that that this was likely because “young males possess strong short-term mating desires that are activated in the context of the opposite sex”, compared to women, who are more likely to be subconsciously dominated by a “long term mating orientation”. In other words, the whole friends-with-benefits thing is (in general) less of a goer for women.  Hilariously, it seems that some of the lads were a little too hopeful about their chances: “Men were also more likely than women to think that their opposite-sex friends were attracted to them—a clearly misguided belief. In fact, men’s estimates of how attractive they were to their female friends had virtually nothing to do with how these women actually felt, and almost everything to do with how the men themselves felt”. In other words, they pretty much assumed that the feeling was mutual. Awkward. Women, on the contrary, tended to underestimate their friend’s attraction to them.

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Not everyone agrees that attraction is inevitable, however: “Certainly men and women can have platonic friendships,” Dr Linda Sapadin, a psychologist and coach with a particular interest relationships told Four Nine. “When men and women lived in separate worlds, their primary attraction to each other was romantic. In today’s world, however, men and women live, work and play together. They are fellow students, colleagues, committee members, bridge buddies, tennis partners and more. This cultural shift has created a new norm in which people generally keep their sexual involvement and friendships separate.” There's also the question of whether the results from the study would still stand once the thrill of being a fresher had worn off and real life set in - after all, being 21 involves a lot more tequila and regrettable kisses that most of us would be prepared to stomach just a few years later. A follow-up study by the same team, involving individuals between their late 20s to early 50s, found that while the tendency for a single person to report a desire for a friend was the same, this did not apply to people in relationships. There was also a considerable increase in whether people considered being attracted to a friend a problem, rather than accepting it. It seems then, that as you grow up and settle down, your ability to blind yourself to the charms of that one friend increases.  [caption id="attachment_12345699" align="aligncenter" width="4368"] Credit: Pexels[/caption] At the end of the day though, it’s a debate that’s gone on since the beginning of time, and one that will almost certainly go on until the end. And with 83 per cent of married people describing their partners as their "best friend", it's easy to see how the association between friendship and sexual attraction can be made. But from first-hand experience, I’m inclined to believe that yes, men and women can just be friends: my flatmate will always be the skinny posh boy that I’ve watched drunkenly throw up one too many times, who has hooked up with most of my gal pals and who once told me he would “definitely” get with my sister. Yeah; a swing and a miss.

Close and intimate friendships between women is an everyday occurrence. Men definitely have them too... but there are definitely more obstacles. So much typical 'masculine' traits involve not making yourself vulnerable to another person, showing affection, and letting your guard down, that it's rare to see guys get quite as close with their platonic friends.

And when they do, we call it a 'bromance' - and it is glorious.

I Love You, Man is a great example of this kind of friendship:

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According to a recent study, not only are these bromances happening more often - but a lot of men claim that they get more out of them than they do from their romantic relationships.

A new study published in the journal Men and Masculinities suggests that close, heterosexual friendships between men are providing more emotional satisfaction. Surveying 30 straight male college students who had been in a relationship before or were currently in one, the researchers found that every one of them said they had one "bromantic" friend.

This bromance was one described as having "no boundaries" with regards to sharing secrets, expressing love for one another, or sharing the same bed on occasion. In fact, 29 out of 30 of the subjects said that they cuddled with their bromantic partner.

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Initial findings from the study were also published back in May in the journal Sex Roles. But it's in their new analysis that they delve further into the nature of bromances, attempting to identify the key differences between these relationships and romantic ones.

One of the common responses was that students said they felt less judged by male friends than girlfriends. "Tim knows I love listening to Taylor Swift and Beyonce, but I keep that quiet [around my girlfriend] because she would judge me," one unnamed participant said. "I feel like I have to be more manly around her."

In addition to this, sharing emotions and talking about sensitive health issues were something the men felt more comfortable doing with other men. Twenty-eight out of the 30 men said that they'd prefer to discuss personal matters with a close male friend than a romantic partner. "If I found a lump on my testicle, I’d talk to [my bromance] rather than my girlfriend," one man said.

"Lovers are temporary,” another study participant claimed. "A bromance can last a lifetime."

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"There was a conclusive determination from the men we interviewed," the study authors concluded from their findings. "On balance, they argued that bromantic relationships were more satisfying in their emotional intimacy, compared to their heterosexual romances."

However, they also suggested that these intimate friendships may have some adverse effects."The rise of the bromances may not altogether be liberating and socially positive for women," they wrote, before pointing out that many of the participants referred to their girlfriends using sexist or disdainful language.

This "us and them" mentality suggested an allegiance with their male friends in opposition to their romantic partners.

While this study is fascinating in some ways, the topic does require some more research. The pool of men they chose were specifically 2nd-year college students, all of which had a sports-related major, and all but one of them were white. However, it still points to how even with more bromances, there may be some intimacy issues for men to overcome.

[caption id="attachment_4284" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Credit: Reddit / VaginalHubris86[/caption] It's often said that you should marry your best friend, and there's a lot of truth to that advice. When you take romantic and physical intimacy out of the equation, the basis for any lasting relationship is friendship. If you and your significant other can make each other laugh, you're onto a winner. Whether it's doing something silly with the contents of your refrigerator, or pranking your husband with a present that isn't quite what it appears to be, a playful, fun relationship is the ideal most of us aspire to and for good reason. So, without further ado, here are 30 legendary wives all men secretly wish they were married to. [post_page_title]Ah, The Tampon Box[/post_page_title] [caption id="attachment_4256" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Credit: Imgur / GillTAzell[/caption] Sometimes, when you and your partner both have a sweet tooth, action must be taken to keep the goods safe. And if your partner is a dude, chances are the last place he'll ever look is your tampon box. Genius. Although, admittedly, this husband still found the chocolate! [post_page_title]Million Accomplished[/post_page_title] This picture was captioned: "My husband bet me I couldn't shave his foot without him waking up. This is what he woke up to this morning." [caption id="attachment_4258" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Credit: Reddit / Potatoprincessa[/caption] Not only did this wife manage to shave her husband's foot, but she also managed to file and paint his nails. Clearly, this woman is a ninja, and her husband is a heavy sleeper! [post_page_title]True Artistry[/post_page_title] This husband wrote: "My wife called me to the bathroom to see the work she did on my shampoo bottle." [caption id="attachment_4259" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Credit: Imgur / daftpanzy[/caption] Who said toilet humor was just for kids? I'd have a giggle if I saw this in the shower. [post_page_title]This Man Made A Terrible, Terrible Mistake...[/post_page_title] It's a longheld misconception that wives should be good at making sandwiches, and any husband who expects this, well, he should expect the consequences. This picture was captioned: "Called my wife a sandwich maker." [caption id="attachment_4260" align="aligncenter" width="800"] This Man Made A Terrible, Terrible Mistake...[/caption] Yeah, he really should have seen this one coming! [post_page_title]Gloriously Making A Point[/post_page_title] We live in a world where we are surrounded by advertisements, and many of them are far from environmentally friendly. So this hilarious wife did this. Her husband captioned her creation: "My wife wanted to let the pizza place know that they're overdoing it with the advertising." [caption id="attachment_4261" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Credit: Reddit / texasproof[/caption] The great thing about this is that it doubles as a Christmas wreath. [post_page_title]Uncanny[/post_page_title] "We were looking through old pictures of me when my wife started laughing and got the dog's flea pills from the cupboard," this picture was captioned. [caption id="attachment_4262" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Credit: Reddit / phelyan[/caption] Well, we know what this guy's Patronus is. Talk about an uncanny resemblance! [post_page_title]Honk For Adrian![/post_page_title] While pranks are fun throughout the year, the one day we should all expect them is on April 1. But pranks being pranks, it's impossible to say what form they will come in. This picture was captioned: "My sister's April fools' prank on her husband." [caption id="attachment_4263" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Credit: Reddit / Olikria[/caption] Poor Adrian must have been so confused. [post_page_title]Susprise![/post_page_title] This picture was captioned: "Was wondering why my wife was giggling when she asked me to change the air filters." [caption id="attachment_4264" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Credit: Reddit / AelyneMB[/caption] The best people in life can make fun out of even the most mundane tasks. Hang onto this woman, she's a keeper. I bet when her time for dentures comes even more laughs will ensue. [post_page_title]That's One Way To Make A Point[/post_page_title] Snoring is a problem for a lot of couples, and tolerance is often at an all-time low for pregnant women. This picture was captioned: "My pregnant wife sent this to me at 2:12 am this morning. I'm going to guess that my snoring was quite bad last night." [caption id="attachment_4265" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Credit: Reddit / batgaz[/caption] I never thought I'd see an illustration of babies being shot out of a womb, but here we are. [post_page_title]Gotham[/post_page_title] "Once my wife said this, I can't un-see it," this husband wrote. This is one of those rare images that really does speak for itself. [caption id="attachment_4266" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Credit: Reddit / bardofbabylon[/caption] Creativity at its finest. You'll never be able to watch Batman the same way again. [post_page_title]A Nutty Cactus[/post_page_title] When I was 16, I took a picture of a particularly phallic-looking rock in China, and I still giggle about it to this day so I relate to this wife. Her husband captured this picture: "My wife took this picture and has been sending it out and laughing about it for 3 hours." [caption id="attachment_4267" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Credit: Imgur / iherpmyselftoday[/caption] One thing's for sure, that would be a very painful ride on some prickly balls. I'll see myself out. [post_page_title]Do You Ever Feel Like You're Being Watched? Well...[/post_page_title] "I hope my husband feels special when he wakes up," this wife wrote. "All eyes will be on him." [caption id="attachment_4268" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Credit: Reddit / chiquitamichi[/caption] Pranks are often at their funniest when a person truly commits. Case in point... [post_page_title]Terrifying[/post_page_title] Have you seent that Tim Burton movie the Corpse Bride? Yeah. That. This husband wrote: "My wife got a new Halloween decoration. I nearly sh*t [myself] when I walked in the bathroom." [caption id="attachment_4269" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Credit: Reddit / Scubazz[/caption] Most of us have jumped at a well-placed Halloween decoration before, even if we won't admit it. Those outstretched arms give this decoration an even creepier vibe. Let's just hope this wife didn't look quite so creepy on their wedding day! [post_page_title]Incredibe[/post_page_title] This husband explained: "Asked my wife to get more magnets for the fridge with no restrictions on what kind." [caption id="attachment_4270" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Credit: Reddit / Ghotifett[/caption] Something tells me that the type of burning bush this magnet refers to wasn't the one Jesus encountered, but regardless, you have to laugh. "MYY WEEDD!" [post_page_title]Know What You're Good At[/post_page_title] In all areas of life, it's important to play to your strengths. This hilarious mug was captioned: "My wife (a geologist) purchased this for me for my birthday." [caption id="attachment_4271" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Credit: Reddit / bboyblaiser[/caption] Well, they do say Jack of all trades, master of none! [post_page_title]The Chart Has The Answers[/post_page_title] Rabbie's flow chart was captioned: "My wife made me a passive-aggressive flow chart to use every time I get hungry." [caption id="attachment_4272" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Credit: Reddit / biscoff_nutella[/caption] Husbands are notorious for leaving their wives to do the washing up, and as we learned from the sandwich wife, when a husband conforms to outdated gender norms, he really is playing with fire. [post_page_title]True Love[/post_page_title] It's no secret that once the honeymoon period has passed in a relationship, consistent effort is required to make it work - even if that means being brutally honest. This picture was captioned: "My friend made this for her husband." [caption id="attachment_4273" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Credit: Reddit / thesockbunny[/caption] Well, they do say that honesty is the best policy. [post_page_title]How Romantic[/post_page_title] "Just got this lovely anniversary note from my lovely girlfriend," wrote this husband. [caption id="attachment_4274" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Credit: Reddit / FolkDude[/caption] I'm not sure if this is savage, romantic, or somewhere in between. [post_page_title]A Parting Gift[/post_page_title] Sometimes, work and/or life can separate couples for long periods of time, which why it's important to leave mementos of your presence for your better half. Case in point... [caption id="attachment_4275" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Credit: Reddit / SelfishMentor[/caption] This picture was captioned: "So my wife is going away for a few months. This is how she left our bed this morning." [post_page_title]When You See An Opportunity For Humor, You Take It[/post_page_title] This husband wrote: "As soon as she saw it, my wife took them out of her bag and left them there." [caption id="attachment_4276" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Credit: Reddit / sometimeswemeanit[/caption] I really hope the owner of this car didn't drive off without seeing this brilliance. [post_page_title]BOOBS![/post_page_title] If you're really forgetful, sometimes extreme action needs to be taken to get you to remember things. Luckily, this wife had the perfect solution for her husband, who wrote: "My wife has been trying anything to remind me to bring my lunch to work." [caption id="attachment_4277" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Credit: Reddit / bsegovia[/caption] Personally, I've have used something bigger than a Post-It note so that the boobs were really in his face. [post_page_title]The Banana Attorney[/post_page_title] This genius costume was captioned: "My wife, an attorney, wore her Halloween costume to work today." [caption id="attachment_4278" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Credit: Reddit / MrBuckskin[/caption] That's certainly one way to grab the attention of a room. [post_page_title]Farts[/post_page_title] This husband wrote: "My wife bought me monogram pajamas for Christmas." [caption id="attachment_4279" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Credit: Reddit / blubberbot[/caption] I'm not sure what the message here is. Does he have a flatulence problem, or is his wife telling him he's an old fart? Regardless, it's funny. [post_page_title]Slay Queen![/post_page_title] "This is what happens when my husband, who is married to a makeup artist, has the nerve to fall asleep early when I'm in town," this wife wrote. [caption id="attachment_4280" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Credit: Reddit / BananaWaffles12[/caption] Those eyelashes are on fleek and that eyeshadow is to die for. I wonder how many times this husband has had a makeover in his sleep! [post_page_title]Dear Unsuspecting Victim[/post_page_title] "My wife saw a cockroach at work, but didn't have the means to 'dispose' of it," this husband wrote. [caption id="attachment_4281" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Credit: Imgur / jackwanders[/caption] It would have probably taken her less time to pluck up the courage to remove the cockroach than write this note. [post_page_title]Mom Jokes Are The Best[/post_page_title] This questionable looking water fountain was captioned: "My wife said 'found your mom's butt plug'". [caption id="attachment_4282" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Credit: Reddit / MidnightXII[/caption] It doesn't matter how old you get, your mom jokes will always be a classic. The more sexual, the better IMO. [post_page_title]Memes Galore[/post_page_title] This husband wrote: "My wife's yard sale signs for tomorrow." [caption id="attachment_4283" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Credit: Reddit / jbeech01[/caption] You know you've found a keeper when they know their memes. [post_page_title]A Gift That Wasn't Quite What It Appeared To Be[/post_page_title] Valentine's Day is the perfect opportunity to show your significant other how much they mean to you, and as is the case with all gifts, the personal touch really is everything. "My husband's going to love his Valentine's Day surprise," this wife wrote. [caption id="attachment_4284" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Credit: Reddit / VaginalHubris86[/caption] Banging is an important part of most marriages, proving that the mood takes both parties. [post_page_title]50 Shades Of Grey[/post_page_title] Ah, 50 Shades of Grey, it's the book that allegedly spiced up a lot of middle-aged people's sex lives. This husband wrote: "My wife called to say she picked up 50 Shades of Grey. This was not what I was expecting when I got home." [caption id="attachment_4285" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Credit: Imgur / completem[/caption] But while banging is all well and good, so too is remembering that sometimes 50 Shades of Grey doesn't mean what you think it does.

Almost every single movie and fairytale out there tells us that searching for your true love is all there is to life. And with your grandma asking you every damn Christmas why you don't have "that lovely Martin fellow from your high school" with you again this year, it's hard not to believe that you shouldn't be putting all your life's efforts into courting an appropriate mate. But alas, that's just what society tells us. In fact, various counts of research show that single women are actually way happier than what people think they are. While the ladies from accounts payable might look across the room at the work Christmas party and titter "oh, poor Suzy, she's come alone again this year", little do they know that Suzy is actually having the time of her life right now and may be well better off than they are. Here's why. For one, a consumer market research report conducted in the UK this year found that being in a relationship as a heterosexual woman is actually quite laborious as – despite all the progress we've done for equal rights and all that – women are still found to be subject to more emotional labour and domestic labour in relationships than their male counterparts. Being single, therefore, gives them a sense of more freedom. The same study found that women are better than men at maintaining different circles of friends and social networks, meaning that even if they're single, women can still enjoy healthy friendships and a positive support network to rely on and to satisfy social needs. Being lonely when you're single – says WHO? What's more is that being single can actually make individuals more independent, more self-determined and less likely to make their relationship their main source of happiness. Single women become more confident in doing things alone and strive to keep growing and learning, according to Harvard psychologist Dr Bella DePaulo. She says people often neglect to think about the "creative, intellectual, and emotional potential of solitude". "Missing from the stacks of journal articles is any sustained attention to the risks of intensive coupling," she writes, "or to the resilience offered by the networks of friends and family that so many single people maintain." And while it's not suggested that people in healthy and loving relationships are miserable sods in comparison to these free-spirited and self-confident singletons, Dr DePaulo argues that it's not the relationship that makes a person happy, but the state of the individual themselves. "If you are not already a happy person, don’t count on marriage to transform you into one. If you are already happy, don’t expect marriage to make you even happier…finally, if you are single and happy, do not fret that you will descend into despair if you dare to stay single. That’s not likely either." But it shouldn't take all these theories and studies to say that people who are single aren't necessarily unhappy. It's just the way society has taught us to think, and now, it's time to break that stigma. Stick it to your grandma – so what if you never bring a date to Christmas lunch ever again?