Robin Dunbar | The Science of Friendship: Dunbar's Number and Social Circles
In this illuminating episode of the Beyond the Boardroom podcast, host Aleksandra King speaks with Professor Robin Dunbar, a renowned anthropologist and evolutionary psychologist, about the science behind our social lives. The conversation focuses on the definitive limits of human social networks, the structure of friendship, and the investment required to maintain lasting relationships.
Unpacking Dunbar's Number: The Hard Limit on Friends
Professor Dunbar immediately addresses the most crucial question: What is the maximum number of friends and family one can maintain? The "official limit" is 150 people, famously known as Dunbar's number
This group encompasses all the individuals with whom you intentionally try to maintain contact at least once a year
. - Faces and Names ( 1,500 people): The outermost layer includes people whose faces you can put names to
, often public figures or celebrities . These relationships are typically "one way"—you know them, but they do not know you .
The Intimacy Hierarchy: Layers of Closeness
Within the core social network, friendships are structured into distinct layers defined by emotional closeness and frequency of contact.
| Layer | Number of People | Description & Contact Frequency |
| Inner Core | 5 | The "shoulders to cry on" friends; your primary support group. You generally see them at least once a week |
| Sympathy Group | 15 |
The group you would be "genuinely upset about" if they died |
| "Barbecue" Friends | 50 |
The circle you would invite to a larger party or summer barbecue |
| Weddings and Funeral Invitees | 150 | The full extended network, including family up to second cousins, who attend "bigger once in a lifetime events" |
Professor Dunbar highlights that these numbers are "spookishly accurate"
Key Takeaways
- Dunbar's Number is : This is the cognitive limit for meaningful social relationships you can maintain
. - Layers of Intimacy Matter: Relationships are tiered, with only people forming the deepest, most frequently contacted core
. - Family is Defined by Kinship: All genuine biological family are typically contained within the 150-layer, extending only to about second cousins
.
You can listen to the full episode on the Aleksandra King YouTube Channel or read more on the dynamics of social life and mechanisms of social bonding.
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