Dunbar's Number
Learner Lecture 11/18/14
Julie Nam
1. What it is
2. How it's supported
3. Connection to Virtual Network
Sources (not CRAP!)
- http://www.newyorker.com/science/maria-konnikova/social-media-affect-math-dunbar-number-friendships
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07IpED729k8 (Dunbar's TEDx talk)
- http://www.socialsciencespace.com/2013/11/robin-dunbar-on-dunbar-numbers/
- http://www.npr.org/2011/06/04/136723316/dont-believe-facebook-you-only-have-150-friends
- http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2010/mar/14/my-bright-idea-robin-dunbar
- http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/26/opinion/26dunbar.html?_r=0
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunbar's_number
- http://www.wired.com/2012/03/dunbars-number-facebook/
1. What is Dunbar's Number?
- Robin Dunbar (Oxford anthropologist/psychologist)
- Why do primates have large brains?
- Application to humans
- 150 = # of people the average person can have in her social group
Think about your network
- 150, casual friends
- close friends
- friends you can turn for support & confide in about most things
- close support group - best friends
Think about your network
- 150, casual friends
- close friends 50
- friends you can turn for support & confide in about most things 15
- close support group - best friends 5
What does this mean?
+ 1 significant other,
-1 close group friend
How do you keep people in your groups?
You need to see them (girls: talk, boys: activities)
but not necessarily with family members
2. Is it really true?
- Historical (from 250,000 years ago)
- hunter-gatherer societies
- army size
- Workplace (150 employees = ideal GORETEX)
- Personal (In UK, each household's network about 150)
Social Media?
3. What about Virtual Networks?
- It does slow the rate of decay in relationship
- But, despite how easy it makes networking/contacting, it does not expand the number of people in your circle!
- So it might even be bad - less time and capacity for close groups (60-40 balance reversed)
- Facebook Experiment in wired.com
Why? Limitations
- Immediacy in response
- Importance of Mutual Laughter
- Physical Touch
- "Words are easy. But the way someone touches you, even casually, tells you more about what they’re thinking of you.”
Discussion
- What do YOU think? Do you think social activities on virtual community/networks can be just as relationship-strengthening?
- Is it perhaps too far-fetched to say, "liking" or "commenting" aren't additions, but just a part of our limited social interaction quota?
- Do you even buy Dunbar's number?