Interviewed on the BBC Radio 4 programme, The Northern Male - and His Mate, Professor Geoffrey Grief of the University of  Maryland described white-collar work environments in which: ‘It’s pretty much every many for himself’. Considering why male friendships can seem stronger among  working class men, the professor at the Maryland School of Social Work said: ‘There seems to be less rivalry among middle and lower class men than among upper class men who are apt to be in law firms and business firms and competing with each other to go even higher up…’.

The influence of sport

While working class males are more likely to bond through noisy team games such as football and rugby, middle class men will tend to watch or play ‘more expensive’ sports such as tennis and golf. These sports, says the professor, are also ‘individual’ and ‘quiet’ sports. Source: BBC