Dunbar's Number & Connecting in Our Digital Age
Image Courtesy: Graphic Design
I am someone who is very aware that social media can be detrimental to our mental health. However, I never had concrete evidence as to why I sometimes felt my self-esteem shrank after scrolling on social media, until one day the answer was revealed in my biological anthropology class.
My professor introduced the theory by Robin Dunbar known as the Dunbar’s Number. This theory shows a correlation between the ratio of brain sizes and the range of our social circle. Essentially Dunbar’s Number determined that humans are only able to handle 150 personal connections. The “social circle”, he claims, will not stay intact with anything over this number.
Dunbar also described the different layers within this magic number. He argues that our brains consider only 5 people as loved ones, 15 as good friends, 50 as friends, and up to 150 people as meaningful contacts. While Dunbar says we are able to recognize up to 1500 people, he says we can only create a personal bond with those special 150 people in our lives. In contemporary society where the internet seems to seep into our daily lives, it’s interesting to reflect on Dunbar’s number and see if his theory can be applied to the overwhelming interactions that are present on social media platforms.
Merriam-Webster’s definition of “easy” is “requiring or indicating little effort, thought, or reflection.” Within this digital dimension, we are able to experience this constant ease in many ways: going to class online, scrolling through endless posts from people across the globe, and purchasing items and getting them delivered within hours. We are living in a timeframe where possibilities seem endless, and with technology we are able to receive answers almost immediately.
You don’t have enough oat milk in your fridge? Just go on Instacart. You’re not feeling inspired? Scroll through your Pinterest boards. You can now even ask for advice on ChatGPT.
Although it is peaceful knowing that the digital dimension can be a place where life is more efficient, it also opens up an entirely new definition of “easy.” You may have heard that social media can cause an increase in social anxiety, body dysmorphia, depression, and a lower self-esteem. These platforms give an “easier” space for people to critique one another even if they don’t know them on a personal level. You can get access to someone’s whole life just by clicking on their profile.
What is deceptive about these “easy spaces” is how they create a facade of someone as being the perfect individual. Afterall, everything shared online is usually something we are proud of and want people to see. The way that we visualize ourselves and individuals changes when we are in the digital dimension– an illusion that people are worthy based on external traits.
Today, it’s normal for people to equate their successes with thousands of likes and followers. As we move deeper into this cyber-based generation that seems to emphasize the quantity over the quality of connections through platforms like social media, looking back on Dunbar's magic number may offer insight into the way we establish true relationships and connections.
Strike Out,
Writer: Robin Kim
Editor: Annika Chaves
Graphic Design: Maggie Tyndall
Boston
