http://allfacebook.disqus.com/enMon, 09 Jul 2007 08:53:04 -0000http://www.adweek.com/socialtimes/social-networking-brings-a-revolution-in-relationships/303457#comment-1637135<p>You are referring to Dunbar's number. Actually its a maximum of 147,8 personal connections.<br>I wrote a thesis (first of its kinf in french) "Facebook, Myspace, online social network services and new communication behaviors" and quoted this extract from Dunbar's "Co-Evolution Of Neocortex Size, Group Size And Language In Humans" :</p><p>"the suggestion here is simply that there is an upper limit on the size of groups that can be maintained by direct personal contact.<br>The second point is that the limit imposed by neocortical processing capacity is simply on the number of individuals with whom a stable inter-personal relationship can be maintained. This in no sense commits us to any particular way of structuring those groups"</p><p>Dunbar explained the emergence of larger groups (Nation-States for ex) by the use of the language as a social bonding mechanism. Still, many "primitive" groups are no larger than 150.</p><p>My thesis conclusion was that the SocNets are freeing the humans from their physiological restraints to communication. And yeah, that stalking cute girls on facebook is fun too.</p>ThibautMon, 09 Jul 2007 08:53:04 -0000