According to a survey by the Integral market research institute, one in five Austrians surveyed said they had lost friends because they had different opinions about measures or vaccines against the coronavirus. Overall, the corona pandemic was a lonely time: 63% missed their friends terribly, 37% so much that they ignored contact restrictions, as one broadcast said.
Topics other than Corona can also damage friendships. Differences of opinion on the war in Ukraine led to disagreements between about 22% of respondents and 14% on climate change.
Circle of acquaintances with 100 people
Overall, six out of 10 people (62%) have a best friend, according to Integral, celebrating International Friendship Day on July 30. On average, Austrians have six people in their close circle of friends and have a total of nearly 20 friendships. The entire circle of acquaintances is made up of more than 100 people on average.
76 percent of respondents measured a good friendship by being there for someone when they needed you. It’s almost equally important that your boyfriend or girlfriend is there for you when you need him. Also important: that you can talk to each other about everything and be honest with each other (74% each).
From 15 to 21 June 2022, 500 people representing the Austrian population aged 16 to 75 were interviewed online for the survey.