Dunbar Number Suggests Human Brains Can Handle Only 150 Friends
Robin Dunbar, professor of Evolutionary Anthropology at Oxford University, came up with the Dunbar number in the 1990s. Dunbar's research indicated the brain can only handle about 150 close friends, which is less than the number of friends a lot of people have on Facebook. The Telegraphsays Dunbar came up with the number by studying groupings in everything from neolithic villages to modern office environments.
Dunbar developed a theory known as "Dunbar's number" in the 1990s which claimed that the size of our neocortex - the part of the brain used for conscious thought and language - limits us to managing social circles of around 150 friends, no matter how sociable we are.
These are relationships in which a person knows how each friend relates to every other friend. They are people you care about and contact at least once a year.
These are relationships in which a person knows how each friend relates to every other friend. They are people you care about and contact at least once a year.
If the Dunbar number is accurate then a lot of people have more Facebook friends than their brains can handle. CNN says Robin Dunbar is currently conducting research on social networks and will be publishing his final research later this year. CNN reports that Dunbar's preliminary research suggests that the number of friends/followers most people have on services like Twitter and Facebook is around 150. Twitter may be a little more difficult to measure because people also follow services and news outlets. Dunbar also says most people's Christmas lists are around 150. Take a look:
