At least 32 per cent people feel that getting attracted to friends of the opposite-sex can make their friendships more of a burden than a bonus, a new study has found. Researchers from the University of Wisconsin- Eau Claire in the US asked participants to list benefits and drawbacks of having opposite-sex friends.

“Our findings implicate attraction in cross-sex friendship as both common and of potential negative consequence for individuals’ long-term mateships,” the researchers said.

Men and women reported about the same level of attraction toward their friends regardless of whether they were currently involved in a romantic relationship. The researchers hypothesised that interacting with a member of the opposite sex instinctually triggers mating strategies that evolved tens of thousands of years ago.

“Mating strategies may influence people’s involvement in cross-sex friendships to begin with, as well as unintentionally colour people’s feelings toward members of the opposite sex with whom their conscious intent is platonic,” the researchers said.

  Bragging may actually help you get ahead at work 

Those who brag about their ability may be more likely to get promoted at work, according to a new research. And it revealed that women’s tendency to downplay their successes could be holding them back at work.
 
The research focused on how leaders were chosen in a group. It took MBA students, divided them into groups and examined how leaders were chosen from those groups.

“Barring any explicit discrimination against women, groups should aim to select their most talented individuals irrespective of gender,” said Paola Sapienza, a professor of finance at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

The research found that men were more willing to overstate their own ability, which, led to their selection as group leaders. The researchers suggest that companies take into account that workers will brag, so the company can ensure that only the most qualified workers get the job.
 
This also means that companies should look to identify the biggest braggers in order to be sure that the field is level for all workers.