S6 E7 'Understanding our social brain' with Professor Robin Dunbar

S6 Robin Dunbar

The Business of Being Brilliant podcast

S6 E7: 'Understanding our social brain'
with Professor Robin Dunbar

Monday 23rd October 2023

Robin Dunbar is Professor of Evolutionary Psychology at the University of Oxford, an Emeritus Fellow of Magdalen College, and an elected Fellow of the British Academy and the Royal Anthropological Institute, to name just a few very impressive hats that he wears.

His research focuses on the evolution of sociality (particularly among primates and humans) and if you’ve heard of the concept of Dunbar’s Number, which is the limit on the number of relationships that we can manage, then you’ve come across his work. He is also widely known for the social brain hypothesis and the gossip theory of language evolution and his publications include 15 authored or edited academic books and 550 scientific journal articles. In addition, he has published a great deal of science print journalism in newspapers and magazines, and a dozen popular science books, including The Trouble With Science; How Many Friends Does One Person Need?; and The Science of Love and Betrayal.

We talk about his most recent book, co-authored with Tracey Camilleri and Samantha Rockey, titled The Social Brain: The Psychology of Successful Organisations.

Perspectives from Robin

On 'Dunbar's number'

Dunbar's number is the natural size of human groups where things work most efficiently.
You have a group that’s too small or too large, somehow it just falls apart.
The sweet spot turns out to be about 150.

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On social bonds at work

So the first theme is the numbers: get your numbers right. But the way you create these numbers is important too. And that's this process of bonding, the creation of relationships that involves the investment of time.

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On societal loneliness

I've been very struck for some time by this pandemic of loneliness. The whole system is paying an enormous price. And the solution is very simple: it's providing a social environment which allows newcomers to get a foot in the door somewhere as a stepping stone to building their own natural friendship communities, both inside and outside [of work]

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