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Mapping the social landscape: tracking patterns of interpersonal relationships
Ruby Basyouni1, Carolyn Parkinson1
1Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Trends in Cognitive Sciences
|February 6, 2022
Summary
Understanding social networks is key to human cognition. This review explores how we learn and use knowledge of relationships to navigate complex social groups and influence behavior.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary Psychology
- Social Cognition
- Neuroscience
Background:
- The evolution of human cognition is strongly linked to the demands of living in large, complex social groups.
- Knowledge of interpersonal relationships within social networks is a crucial but understudied cognitive skill.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize multidisciplinary findings on the acquisition, maintenance, and use of knowledge about social relationships.
- To explore the neural, cognitive, and behavioral aspects of understanding social networks.
- To examine the role of social network knowledge in children and other social primates.
Main Methods:
- Multidisciplinary review synthesizing diverse research findings.
- Analysis of studies on neural encoding of social network knowledge.
- Examination of research on third-party relationship tracking in humans and primates.
- Review of applications of social network knowledge in behavior change interventions.
Main Results:
- Knowledge of social networks has significant cognitive and behavioral consequences.
- Children and highly social primates demonstrate abilities to track third-party relationships.
- Understanding social networks can be leveraged for effective information dissemination and behavior modification.
Conclusions:
- Knowledge of interpersonal relationships is a vital component of the human social-living toolkit.
- Further research is needed to fully understand the complexities and applications of social network cognition.
- This cognitive skill has implications for designing interventions and understanding social dynamics.
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