Is It Possible To Have More Than 150 Friends?

The news that the population has officially gone over 8 billion is a milestone that now means there are more people on Earth than ever before. Still, that doesn’t mean we’ll ever have a chance to meet them all - or that we can maintain relationships with them all.

For years, it’s been theorized that we can only have so many friends in our lives. So, is it possible to have more than 150 friends? That’s what people want to know, especially with so many people spending their lives surrounded by strangers on their commutes, in offices, and as we go about our daily lives.

Robin Dunbar is the one behind Dunbar’s Number

Throughout history, humans have lived in compact, relatively self-sufficient communities without much need to communicate with the outside world. Now, things are changing as we find ourselves living and working alongside strangers. Still, Robin Dunbar is the one who came up with the idea that it’s only possible for humans to have 150 friends - a number that’s been named Dunbar’s Number. The evolutionary psychologist and anthropologist came up with the idea in 1993 and believes that 150 is the limit of people we can build and maintain meaningful social relationships with at one time. 

There are several reasons 150 friends is thought to be the limit

Of course, the 150 friends limit didn’t come from nowhere, with Robin Dunbar theorizing that the constraint largely comes from our brains. He believes a lot of it is down to the neocortex, aka the part of our brains that’s in charge of emotion, language, and sensory perception - all things that are associated with our social behavior. Reader in evolutionary anthropology Sarah Johns agrees, adding that how humans work is largely why there is a limit on friendship groups. Sarah claims that having more than 150 friends requires “more social rules and regulations to maintain relationships.” Another aspect many agree puts a limit on our friendship number is the effort needed to have strong relationships with so many people.

Several people disagree we can’t have more than 150 friends

Just because Dunbar’s Number has been around for decades doesn’t mean that everyone agrees it’s only possible to have 150 friends. Instead, Sarah Johns adds that the number isn’t correct in every situation, adding that “Close and meaningful” relationships could even result in a much smaller number. Sarah also says it’s important to consider other factors, like “extraversion and introversion,” before deciding on a final number. Others have put the number of friendships we can have much higher, with a 2001 article placing the number at 291. A 2021 study released by Biology Letters also claims there is no way of telling a person’s limit to the number of friends they can have at once. 

Robin Dunbar doesn’t believe the modern-day effects Dunbar’s Number

The modern world has seen plenty of changes, such as the fact we can communicate with just about anyone around the world, and we now live in booming societies. After all, 1 BCE saw one city - Rome - with a population of over 1 million. The United Nations now estimates that we could have 662 cities with a population of 1 million or more by 2030. Does that mean Robin Dunbar is changing his mind about his number? No. Instead, Robin adds that Dunbar’s Number is an average that comes to the “layers in our friendship circles.” Sarah Johns adds that while it might be possible to have more than 150 friends, it’s important to remember what a relationship is. It’s not always about having a close bond built on intimacy, with Sarah stating talking to our boss or neighbors could even count toward the total number of people in our social circles.

Is it possible to have more than 150 friends? It might be, but it seems it depends on who we are and where we live in the world. While Robin Dunbar is confident that Dunbar’s Number is a good average for people across the world, others aren’t so quick to believe it’s the final total for everyone.