Invest Like the Best with Patrick O'Shaughnessy

Robin Dunbar - Optimizing Human Connection (Dunbar's Number) - [Invest Like the Best, EP.367]

331 snips

Apr 2, 2024

In this engaging chat, Robin Dunbar, a biological anthropologist and the mind behind Dunbar's number, dissects the intricate web of human relationships. He reveals that we can maintain around 150 meaningful connections, exploring how this impacts not just personal lives but also organizational dynamics. Dunbar discusses the importance of face-to-face interactions over virtual ones and the role of social activities like laughter in bonding. He highlights the challenges of modern loneliness and underscores time management as essential for fostering trust and relationships in leadership.

Ask episode

AI Snips

Chapters

Transcript

Episode notes

INSIGHT

Dunbar's Number Origin

Primates evolved larger brains to manage complex social structures.
This led to Dunbar's number, which is approximately 150.

INSIGHT

Layered Social Networks

Human social networks are layered like ripples, decreasing in emotional closeness as they expand.
Key layers include 5, 15, 50, 150, 500, and 1500, each serving different functions.

INSIGHT

The 1.5 Layer

The 1.5 layer represents the closest relationships, often romantic or 'best friend forever' (BFF).
Women tend to have two people in this layer due to BFFs, while men typically have one.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Get the app

My guest today is Robin Dunbar. Robin is a biological anthropologist, evolutionary psychologist, and specialist in primate behavior. He is the man behind Dunbar’s number, a theory about the number of stable relationships we can maintain at once. Robin unravels the thread of research that led him to Dunbar’s number and describes how this plays into every single person’s layers of human connection. It was fascinating to hear how his findings on social circles have implications for optimally structuring businesses and organizations, as well as the idea of homophily, all of which Robin thoughtfully explains. It was a treat to get to explore these topics with Robin Dunbar himself so please enjoy this great conversation.

Listen to Founders Podcast

For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page here.

-----

This episode is brought to you by Tegus, the only investment research platform built for fundamental investors. Whether you’re trying to get up to speed on a new market or keep tabs on a portfolio company, Tegus is the end-to-end investment research platform you need. With Tegus, you can quickly understand a company's business model, drivers, benchmarks, and management quality. To monitor an entire market, download our pre-built financial models — or update your own with the latest data using Tegus’ new Excel Add-In. Tegus gives you all of this and more, all bundled into a single software license. Find out why 95% of the top 20 global private equity firms are Tegus customers. Learn more and get your free trial at tegus.com/patrick.

-----

Invest Like the Best is a property of Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of Invest Like the Best, visit joincolossus.com/episodes.

Past guests include Tobi Lutke, Kevin Systrom, Mike Krieger, John Collison, Kat Cole, Marc Andreessen, Matthew Ball, Bill Gurley, Anu Hariharan, Ben Thompson, and many more.

Stay up to date on all our podcasts by signing up to Colossus Weekly, our quick dive every Sunday highlighting the top business and investing concepts from our podcasts and the best of what we read that week. Sign up here.

Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com).

Show Notes:

(00:00:00) Welcome to Invest Like the Best

(00:04:39) The Journey to Discovering Dunbar's Number

(00:07:28) Exploring the Layers of Human Connection

(00:12:27) The Significance of the 1.5 Layer in Social Circles

(00:16:55) Surprising Insights from Social Network Studies

(00:20:40) Applying Dunbar's Number to Organizational Structures

(00:27:51) The Science of Social Bonding in Primates and Humans

(00:33:23) Unlocking the Endorphin System Without Physical Touch

(00:34:10) The Power of Laughter, Singing, and Storytelling in Group Bonding

(00:36:00) The Limitations of Digital Interactions for Building Relationships

(00:39:51) Reviving Social Clubs and Activities for Workplace Bonding

(00:44:40) The Importance of Homophily in Friendships and Social Networks

(00:50:40) Challenges and Solutions for Overcoming Loneliness and Building Trust

(00:53:45) The Impact of Technology, Religion, and Mental Health on Social Connections

(00:61:47) Reflecting on Time as a Fundamental Aspect of Social Dynamics