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Friends function as extended-family members for some people. People seem to be more likely to consult a friend than a spouse about personal problems. Both friends and family members are important, and each relationship can have top priority at different times.

Clothing styles reflect the image the wearer wishes to project. Conflicting images are encouraged as long as the wearer is aware of the duality projected. These style conflicts can be used as a technique to combat stereotyping of an individual.

Hair length and style play an important role for women, and are determined by ethnic and sexual identity. Some women need long hair to feel feminine and others use style to maintain self-esteem. Color, style, length and the psychology of hair are discussed.

People in distress look for different things from friends. Many women desire a best friend who will just listen to their problems, but some want advice or clear expressions of sympathy. Celebrities' anecdotes about friendship are presented.

Dinnertime is when families have an opportunity to enjoy the company of one another, and most families enjoy eating together. Ways of coping with mealtime stress include allowing children to participate in meal preparation.

Many husbands seem to have trouble doing their share of household chores, and they feign inability to avoid these duties. They also sometimes have difficulty expressing emotions. Tips on getting men to behave in a competent manner are given.

Family rituals, at holidays or throughout the year, give families a sense of intimacy and identify the family character. Examples of various family's traditions, recently invented or generations old, elaborate or inexpensive, are presented.

No one person should be the source of authority in any family, despite the myth to the contrary. Others myths are debunked, including those concerning frequency of sex, total honesty, and fights about money.

People like to shop for various reasons. Some are using material possessions to mask unhappiness. Various types of shoppers are profiled, including the bargain seeker, the needy buyer, the impulse shopper, the secret spender and the compulsive shopper.

Mild feelings of guilt can motivate a person to behave better, but shame is a feeling that one is fundamentally bad or inferior. Shame is usually felt about something over which the person feeling ashamed has no control. Recognizing and letting go of feelings of shame are discussed.

Many people deny themselves happiness by their fear of taking risks. Social psychologists have determined that risk taking behavior is varies by gender, with women more willing to take emotional risks and men more apt to take physical risks.

A woman finds that life after 50 is rich and rewarding. She describes changes in her relationships with her husband and children and the experience of menopause, which is not nearly as bad as she had imagined.

Friends are often happier to receive a letter than a phone call, because letters show thought and effort. Also, many people can express their true feelings better in writing.

Crying can be an emotional release. When tears are stress-related, crying can release excess levels of stress-related hormones. Although men cry 1.4 times a month, women cry 5.3 times per month. Differences in socialization may account for the differences in frequency. Crying at work is unwise.

Discusses the mixed messages conveyed by a woman's clothing and personal style. Author's clothing; Reconciliation of volatile dualities; Fashion's symbolic codes; Challenge to society's stereotypes of gender; Power of style to communicate; Creation of outer images to communicate inner selves. INSET: Send your own style signals..

Focuses on what your spending style says about you. The hunter; The impulse shopper; The secret spender; The compulsive shopper; The needy buyer; The bargain seeker. INSET: When shopping is a problem..

Discusses the benefits of writing letters. Difference between spoken and written communication; Conscious effort in letter writing; Thoughts of love; Parents' personal letters to children; Permanence of letters; Occasions for letter-writing; Correspondence between friends; Foreign pen pals; Relief from the emotionality of day-to-day friendship; Optimistic form of communication. INSET: Four new holiday traditions..

Focuses on people's inclination to gossip. Reasons why people gossip; Dangers of gossip; Kinds of gossip; Keeping people connected as the constructive social purpose being served by gossip.