Casual acquaintance or close friend?

Someone you often speak to at work has invited you to go for a coffee. Maybe the person you always chat to before your yoga class has suggested you go out for lunch. How do you decide if you actually want to move from being acquaintances to friends?

Sometimes it’s simply too soon to decide, on the basis of a phone call or even a lunch or two, if you want to befriend someone.

According to a test, based on friendship research, there are certain key questions you can ask yourself to help you decide if a current acquaintance is more likely to lead to a rewarding close or casual friendship. The questions touch upon issues such as: differences in socio-economic status; religious beliefs; or how soon you will return their calls.

Dr Jan Yager, author of Friendshifts: The Power Of Friendship And How It Shapes Our Lives (Hannacroix Creek Books, £14), advises that reflecting upon these questions will help us determine how committed and compatible we are with this acquaintance, but also suggests that we consider how our acquaintance may answer as well.