New research from the University of Birmingham, which included over 24,000 people, shows that having diverse friends improves well-being and social cohesion, despite people’s tendency to stick with similar individuals.

The study used data from 24,726 adults across more than 10,000 English neighborhoods to examine the makeup of people’s social networks by age, ethnicity, income, and education. It aimed to understand how homophily—preferring similar people—affects social cohesion and personal well-being.

“As global diversity increases, people in modern countries meet others from different backgrounds more often,” the researchers said. “Despite this, people still tend to bond with those who are like them.”

Mixed networks

The study found that, despite this tendency, people with mixed social networks—those with both similar and different individuals—reported higher levels of social cohesion in their neighborhoods. This was closely linked to increased personal well-being.

The researchers looked at four types of homophily: race, age, income, and education. They measured the diversity of friends within these categories on a scale of 0 to 100%, along with life satisfaction and feelings about social cohesion.

They found that social cohesion and life satisfaction peaked when about half of a person’s friends were different in age, race, income, or education. People felt most connected and happier when their friend group was diverse, with both similar and different individuals.

The implications of this research go beyond individual friendships to broader society. By embracing diversity and fostering inclusive environments, communities can achieve greater social harmony and collective well-being.

Promoting inclusion

These findings can inform policies and initiatives to promote harmony and inclusivity in education, workplaces, and community settings.

“These results highlight the importance of embracing diversity to strengthen social bonds and enhance overall societal cohesion,” the researchers concluded. “Heterogeneous social networks are linked to the highest levels of social cohesion, a key source of well-being, showing that people from different groups can live harmoniously together.”

While interacting with similar individuals might offer comfort, the study suggests that embracing diversity is crucial for building resilience and adaptability in a changing world.