scholarly journals Social cognition on the Internet: testing constraints on social network size

2012 ◽  
Vol 367 (1599) ◽  
pp. 2192-2201 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. I. M. Dunbar
Keyword(s):  
Digital Media ◽  
Social Networking Sites ◽  
Brain Size ◽  
Network Size ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Social Brain ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Social Network Size ◽  
The Social

The social brain hypothesis (an explanation for the evolution of brain size in primates) predicts that humans typically cannot maintain more than 150 relationships at any one time. The constraint is partly cognitive (ultimately determined by some aspect of brain volume) and partly one of time. Friendships (but not necessarily kin relationships) are maintained by investing time in them, and failure to do so results in an inexorable deterioration in the quality of a relationship. The Internet, and in particular the rise of social networking sites (SNSs), raises the possibility that digital media might allow us to circumvent some or all of these constraints. This allows us to test the importance of these constraints in limiting human sociality. Although the recency of SNSs means that there have been relatively few studies, those that are available suggest that, in general, the ability to broadcast to many individuals at once, and the possibilities this provides in terms of continuously updating our understanding of network members’ behaviour and thoughts, do not allow larger networks to be maintained. This may be because only relatively weak quality relationships can be maintained without face-to-face interaction.

scholarly journals Social brain volume is associated with in-degree social network size among older adults

2018 ◽  
Vol 285 (1871) ◽  
pp. 20172708 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seyul Kwak ◽  
Won-tak Joo ◽  
Yoosik Youm ◽  
Jeanyung Chey
Keyword(s):  
Social Network ◽  
Social Connectedness ◽  
Brain Volume ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Network Size ◽  
Global Network ◽  
Social Brain ◽  
Social Network Size ◽  
The Social ◽  
Brain Correlates

The social brain hypothesis proposes that large neocortex size evolved to support cognitively demanding social interactions. Accordingly, previous studies have observed that larger orbitofrontal and amygdala structures predict the size of an individual's social network. However, it remains uncertain how an individual's social connectedness reported by other people is associated with the social brain volume. In this study, we found that a greater in-degree network size, a measure of social ties identified by a subject's social connections rather than by the subject, significantly correlated with a larger regional volume of the orbitofrontal cortex, dorsomedial prefrontal cortex and lingual gyrus. By contrast, out-degree size, which is based on an individual's self-perceived connectedness, showed no associations. Meta-analytic reverse inference further revealed that regional volume pattern of in-degree size was specifically involved in social inference ability. These findings were possible because our dataset contained the social networks of an entire village, i.e. a global network. The results suggest that the in-degree aspect of social network size not only confirms the previously reported brain correlates of the social network but also shows an association in brain regions involved in the ability to infer other people's minds. This study provides insight into understanding how the social brain is uniquely associated with sociocentric measures derived from a global network.

scholarly journals Orbital prefrontal cortex volume predicts social network size: an imaging study of individual differences in humans

2012 ◽  
Vol 279 (1736) ◽  
pp. 2157-2162 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanne Powell ◽  
Penelope A. Lewis ◽  
Neil Roberts ◽  
Marta García-Fiñana ◽  
R. I. M. Dunbar
Keyword(s):  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Social Network ◽  
Cognitive Skills ◽  
Social Cognitive ◽  
Imaging Study ◽  
Network Size ◽  
Magnetic Resonance Images ◽  
Social Brain ◽  
Social Network Size ◽  
The Social

The social brain hypothesis, an explanation for the unusually large brains of primates, posits that the size of social group typical of a species is directly related to the volume of its neocortex. To test whether this hypothesis also applies at the within-species level, we applied the Cavalieri method of stereology in conjunction with point counting on magnetic resonance images to determine the volume of prefrontal cortex (PFC) subfields, including dorsal and orbital regions. Path analysis in a sample of 40 healthy adult humans revealed a significant linear relationship between orbital (but not dorsal) PFC volume and the size of subjects' social networks that was mediated by individual intentionality (mentalizing) competences. The results support the social brain hypothesis by indicating a relationship between PFC volume and social network size that applies within species, and, more importantly, indicates that the relationship is mediated by social cognitive skills.

Extraverts Have Larger Social Network Layers

2011 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 161-169 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas V. Pollet ◽  
Sam G. B. Roberts ◽  
Robin I. M. Dunbar
Keyword(s):  
Social Network ◽  
Social Relationships ◽  
Outer Layer ◽  
Network Size ◽  
Emotional Intensity ◽  
Emotional Closeness ◽  
Network Layer ◽  
Network Layers ◽  
Social Network Size

Previous studies showed that extraversion influences social network size. However, it is unclear how extraversion affects the size of different layers of the network, and how extraversion relates to the emotional intensity of social relationships. We examined the relationships between extraversion, network size, and emotional closeness for 117 individuals. The results demonstrated that extraverts had larger networks at every layer (support clique, sympathy group, outer layer). The results were robust and were not attributable to potential confounds such as sex, though they were modest in size (raw correlations between extraversion and size of network layer, .20 < r < .23). However, extraverts were not emotionally closer to individuals in their network, even after controlling for network size. These results highlight the importance of considering not just social network size in relation to personality, but also the quality of relationships with network members.

The Social Consequences of Phubbing

2020 ◽  
pp. 157-174 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariek Vanden Abeele
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Social Relationships ◽  
Empirical Work ◽  
Social Consequences ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Expectancy Violations ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Comprehensive Literature Review ◽  
The Social

Recent empirical work suggests that phubbing, a term used to describe the practice of snubbing someone with a phone during a face-to-face social interaction, harms the quality of social relationships. Based on a comprehensive literature review, this chapter presents a framework that integrates three concurrent mechanisms that explain the relational impact of phubbing: expectancy violations, ostracism, and attentional conflict. Based on this framework, theoretically grounded propositions are formulated that may serve as guidelines for future research on these mechanisms, the conditions under which they operate, and a number of potential issues that need to be considered to further validate and extend the framework.

scholarly journals Social Networks and Loneliness During the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 237802312098525
Author(s):  
Balazs Kovacs ◽  
Nicholas Caplan ◽  
Samuel Grob ◽  
Marissa King
Keyword(s):  
Social Network ◽  
Social Isolation ◽  
Close Relationships ◽  
Network Size ◽  
Global Network ◽  
Network Data ◽  
Network Characteristics ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Social Network Data ◽  
Social Network Size

We utilize longitudinal social network data collected pre–COVID-19 in June 2019 and compare them with data collected in the midst of COVID in June 2020. We find significant decreases in network density and global network size following a period of profound social isolation. While there is an overall increase in loneliness during this era, certain social network characteristics of individuals are associated with smaller increases in loneliness. Specifically, we find that people with fewer than five “very close” relationships report increases in loneliness. We further find that face-to-face interactions, as well as the duration and frequency of interactions with very close ties, are associated with smaller increases in loneliness during the pandemic. We also report on factors that do not moderate the effect of social isolation on perceived loneliness, such as gender, age, or overall social network size.

scholarly journals Crisis and Continuation: The Digital Relocation of Jain Socio-Religious Praxis during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Religions ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 342
Author(s):  
Tine Vekemans
Keyword(s):  
Digital Media ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Religious Activities ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
The Social ◽  
Religious Praxis ◽  
Online Format ◽  
Media Channels ◽  
Selection Of

In early 2020, Jain diaspora communities and organizations that had been painstakingly built over the past decades were faced with the far-reaching consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and its concomitant restrictions. With the possibility of regular face-to-face contact and participation in recurring events—praying, eating, learning, and meditating together—severely limited in most places, organizations were compelled to make a choice. They either had to suspend their activities, leaving members to organize their religious activities on an individual or household basis, or pursue the continuation of some of their habitual activities in an online format, relying on their members’ motivation and technical skills. This study will explore how many Jain organizations in London took to digital media in its different forms to continue to engage with their members throughout 2020. Looking at a selection of websites and social media channels, it will examine online discourses that reveal the social and mental impact of the pandemic on Jains and the broader community, explore the relocation of activities to the digital realm, and assess participation in these activities. In doing so, this article will open a discussion on the long-term effects of this crisis-induced digital turn in Jain religious praxis, and in socio-cultural life in general.

Confessions and Tweets: Social Media and Everyday Experience in the Israel Defense Forces

2019 ◽  
pp. 0095327X1985930 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nehemia Stern ◽  
Uzi Ben Shalom
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
New Media ◽  
Digital Media ◽  
Social Networking Sites ◽  
First Generation ◽  
Armed Forces ◽  
Military Life ◽  
The Social ◽  
Israel Defense Forces ◽  
Israeli Soldiers

This article explores the social media postings of Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers on two different and unofficial Facebook groups. While scholars of armed forces and society have noted the growing importance that militaries have placed on digital media, there is little data regarding the unofficial uses and meanings that regular soldiers themselves make of social networking sites. With an anthropological focus on everyday experiences, we argue that the social media activity of IDF personnel highlights the quotidian aspects of military life in ways that reverberate beyond the strictly ideological or political facets of their service. Here, soldiers can express their frustrations with military bureaucracy, while also presenting a lighthearted (and positive) commentary on a shared rite of passage. This research opens a window into the lives and dilemmas of the first generation of Israeli soldiers to employ new media as a taken for granted aspect of their service.

scholarly journals Estimation of the Active Social Network of Street Children in Shiraz (A City of Iran)

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nasrin Motazedian ◽  
Mehrab Sayadi ◽  
Somaye Oboodi ◽  
Hassan Joulaei
Keyword(s):  
Social Network ◽  
Direct Method ◽  
Street Children ◽  
Scale Up ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Target Population ◽  
Network Size ◽  
Hidden Population ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Social Network Size

: Street children are a hard-to-reach population. Since the direct method is not feasible and has some limitations, we utilized the network scale-up (NSU) as an indirect method. This study was conducted in Shiraz municipalities. Our target population was Iranian boys between 10 to 18 years of age during the years 2014 to 2016. Three trained psychologists conducted face to face interviews with 86 street children (boys) on the streets, through the convenience sampling technique. The social network size of street boys in Shiraz was estimated at 17 persons (ranging from zero to 92 people, mean = 17 ± 17, median = 13). Overall, the network size of the hidden population might be smaller than the general population, due to the stigmatized nature of their behavior and place of work.

scholarly journals Effect of Social Networking Sites on the Quality of Life of College Students: A Cross-Sectional Study from a City in North India

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Neeru Saini ◽  
Garima Sangwan ◽  
Madhur Verma ◽  
Adarsh Kohli ◽  
Manmeet Kaur ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Social Networking ◽  
Social Networking Sites ◽  
Human Interaction ◽  
North India ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Severe Stress ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
College Going

Introduction. With the advent and extensive use of the Internet and smartphones, social networking has become a pervasive part of human interaction. The use of these social networking sites or the Internet affects the physical, mental, and spiritual health of the people. Hence, there is need to understand how the time spent on social networking is affecting the quality of life (QOL) as a whole, especially among college-going students who are most likely users of social networking sites (18–21 years). Materials and Methods. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 220 college-going students (18–21 years) in Chandigarh in 2012. The data were collected using a pretested self-administered questionnaire, adapted from Young’s Internet usage questionnaire. Appropriate statistical analysis was done. Results. Almost all (98%) of the respondents use the Internet. As compared to nondaily users of social networking sites, daily users were better able to handle stress related to (1) relationships (moderate to severe stress among daily users vs. nondaily users, 15.2% vs. 30.5%) and (2) work (moderate to severe stress among daily users vs. nondaily users, 18.2% vs. 35.4%). The daily users of social networking sites feel significantly more satisfied with their classmates, the way they handle the problems, their physical appearance, and their accomplishments in their life. Conclusion. Social networking sites are steadily penetrating in the lives of adolescents in India. The advantages on quality of life for daily users of social networking sites versus nondaily users are enormous. Also currently, Internet use might not have reached the levels where it embarks on the existing state of health; therefore, continuous and critical observation of the changing trends is warranted.

Usage of Social Networking Sites Among Post Graduate Students

2020 ◽  
pp. 148-168
Author(s):  
S. Thanuskodi
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Social Networking ◽  
Interpersonal Communication ◽  
Social Networking Sites ◽  
Tamil Nadu ◽  
Oral Communication ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
The Social ◽  
Potential Risks ◽  
The University

Social networking sites over the years have changed from a few user-based sites into a phenomena that has become a platform for a huge number of users. However, the growth and development of social networking sites have brought great concerns on parents and educational authorities with respect to potential risks that are facing the university students as they use online social networking frequently for gathering information. The risk associated with social networking sites when used for oral communication rather than face-to-face communication results in damaging interpersonal communication among the users. The results obtained from this study have shown that a reasonable number of university students use the social networking sites. Therefore, the popularity of the social networking usage by university students of Tamil Nadu and the benefits it has on the student-users have been confirmed from the findings of this study. There are also various purposes for which the students use the social networking sites to achieve and that have been investigated. Technology is a double-edged sword. Its power for bad and good resides in the users. Based on this, it is instructive to note that the relevant government authorities have to take good measures to ensure that they (student) are made to be aware of how and why they use the social networking sites.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document