Cognition and Social Network Structure

Cornell University, Ithaca NY

Investigators

Abstract

SES-1059282 Matthew Brashears Cornell University How is the size and structure of human social networks influenced by cognition? Existing research has identified a correlation between neocortex size and group size in a variety of primates, including humans, but it is unclear how the deeper structure of our social networks is impacted by cognitive limitations. Such limits have important implications for social network analysis both because they can help us to distinguish network features that can result from the conscious preferences of actors from those that must emerge unintentionally, and because they may contribute to a causal explanation for several observed regularities in human social networks. This project focuses on social memory- the capacity to recall information about social ties- as the bedrock of the human ability to reason about social relations. An experimental method developed specifically for this research will be used to measure the size of human social memory as well as to identify and explore proposed socio-cognitive strategies that act to enhance recall without imposing the need for additional organic memory. It is expected that networks with certain characteristics will be easier to recall even when they contain more ties to be remembered. The results from this experimental evaluation will then be used in a non-experimental component to relate the size of an individual?s memory capacity to several characteristics of their personal network, including its size, density, and degree of structural balance. It is expected that those who possess better social memories will have personal networks that are more complex and more difficult to recall. This project will collect data from over five hundred subjects in eight experimental conditions to provide the first detailed assessment of social memory capacity in humans and explore its connection to personal network structure. Broader Impacts This research will have impacts in several areas. First, in an academic sense, it is part of a growing sociological interest in the interaction between evolution, biology, and social life. How are our social structures influenced by, and to what extent do they influence, our biology? Second, this project will add to the study of social networks by helping to produce general predictive theory. A better understanding of the cognitive underpinnings of networks will help to generate expectations about when particular network structures may be observed. Third, an enhanced understanding of how networks are constrained by cognition will aid in improving coordination in high stress environments where efficient teamwork is key. Finally, this project will include both graduate and undergraduate research assistance, thereby providing valuable hands-on training in scientific research for the next generation of scientists.