Abstract: The purpose of this study was to analyse the social psychologicalsubstance of friendship by studying the norms implemented among friendsof middle school students. Using the methods of questionnaire, story pro-jection, and field study on "sharing", the study was to find out (1) theimplement limit, role difference and justice principle; (2) the correlationbetween "sharing" and "collectivism orientation"; and (3) whether "shar,ing" is effected by social opinion or not. The results show: (1) the limit which Chinese middle school friendsimplemented is from "both for others and myself" to "just for others butmot for myself"; the role difference effected the sharing behavior; themain principle is "sharing equally". (2) the sharing norm implementedby Chinese middle school friends is positively correlated with collectivismorientation. (3) under social opinion the behavior of the ego approachessocial norms. These results show that the value orientation as a variablemust be consided when we interprete the social psychological substance offriendship,and under the tradition of collectivism the substance of friend-ship is not "reciprocity and exchange" but "sharing and integration".

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