Cognitive constraints on the structure and dynamics of social networks.

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The costs of family and friends: an 18-month longitudinal study of relationship maintenance and decay (2011, background): “Dunbar / Evolution and Human Behavior xx (2010) xxx–xxx”
Communication in social networks: Effects of kinship, network size, and emotional closeness (2011, background): “There are both cognitive and time constraints that place an upper limit on the number of relationships that can be maintained at a given level of emotional intensity (Dunbar, 2008; Milardo, Johnson, & Huston, 1983; Stiller & Dunbar, 2007; Zhou, Sornette, Hill, & Dunbar, 2005).”
Exploring variation in active network size: Constraints and ego characteristics (2009, methodology): “The next layer out is the sympathy roup, which can be defined as those with whom an individual ontacts at least monthly, and averages 12–15 members (Buys and arson, 1979; Dunbar and Spoors, 1995).”