That is, there is research to suggest that levels of peer interaction foster the development of empathy. Research by Ritter (1979) found that an adolescent's level of empathy in a given social exchange is dependent on whether or not the other person is a friend or just a peer. Adolescents are more likely to engage in empathic responses with their friends than with peers. Thus, according to the author, relationships with friends foster the use and development of empathic responses (Ritter, 1979).