The Science of Making and Keeping Friends | Robin Dunbar

The Science of Making and Keeping Friends | Robin Dunbar

New episodes come out every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for free, with 1-week early access for Wondery+ subscribers.

---

Friendship might not necessarily be something you've considered to be an urgent psychological and physiological issue. One thing we explore a lot on the show is that the quality of your relationships determines the quality of your life, and sadly, in many ways, it's harder than ever to make and keep friends. With loneliness and disconnection on the rise, our society just wasn't constructed for social connection, and recent data suggests we're in a friendship crisis, with many of us reporting that we have fewer close friendships than ever.


Our guest today is Robin Dunbar, an Emeritus Professor of Evolutionary Psychology at Oxford University and the author of numerous books on the development of homo sapiens. Dunbar is perhaps best known for formulating "Dunbar's number," which is a measurement of the number of relationships our brain is capable of maintaining at any one time. He is a world-renowned expert on human relationships, and has a ton of fascinating research findings and practical tips for upping your friendship game.


In this conversation, we dive into the science behind human relationships, the upsides and downsides of maintaining friendships on social media, the viability of friendships across gender lines, and what science says you can do to compensate if you feel you are currently lacking in close friendships.



Full Shownotes: https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/robin-dunbar-372-rerun

Avsnitt(1033)

How To Deal With Difficult Emotions, Difficult Feedback, and Difficult Parts of Your Own Mind | Diane Musho Hamilton

How To Deal With Difficult Emotions, Difficult Feedback, and Difficult Parts of Your Own Mind | Diane Musho Hamilton

Cross-training for your mind. Diane Musho Hamilton is an author, award-winning mediator, and teacher of Zen. She is the author of three books on conflict resolution, relationships, and communication. ...

16 Apr 20251h 7min

Sam Harris On: Equanimity in Turbulent Times; Compassion for Difficult People; And Dualistic vs Non-dualistic Mindfulness

Sam Harris On: Equanimity in Turbulent Times; Compassion for Difficult People; And Dualistic vs Non-dualistic Mindfulness

An old friend (and my spiritual brother) discusses some of the most important things he's ever learned.   Sam Harris is a neuroscientist, author, podcaster and the proprietor of Waking Up, a top-notch...

14 Apr 20251h 32min

Can You Be Kind Without Becoming Boring And/Or Weak? | A Question From "Mean Aunt Kate"

Can You Be Kind Without Becoming Boring And/Or Weak? | A Question From "Mean Aunt Kate"

We're going to give you a taste of the so-called "renegade sangha" sessions on DanHarris.com, which is powered by Substack. In those sessions, Dan usually guides a meditation and then takes questions....

11 Apr 20259min

Buddhist Themes in The White Lotus, Explained | Josh Bearman

Buddhist Themes in The White Lotus, Explained | Josh Bearman

Dan deconstructs the Dharmic elements of the popular HBO show, with the co-host of The White Lotus Official Season 3 companion podcast. Joshuah Bearman is a writer and film producer in Los Angeles. He...

10 Apr 20251h 9min

I Want an Awakening Experience. How Do I Get It? | Henry Shukman

I Want an Awakening Experience. How Do I Get It? | Henry Shukman

They say enlightenment is always an accident. Here's how to make yourself more accident-prone. Henry Shukman is a poet, author and Zen master in the Sanbo Zen lineage. He is founder of the Original Lo...

9 Apr 20251h 9min

How To Be Sanely Productive | Oliver Burkeman

How To Be Sanely Productive | Oliver Burkeman

The liberation that comes from realizing that you're never going to get everything done.   Oliver Burkeman is the author of the Sunday Times bestselling Four Thousand Weeks, The Antidote, and most r...

7 Apr 20251h 12min

Are You Letting Politics Make You Bitter Or Better? A Psychological Survival Conversation With CNN's Van Jones

Are You Letting Politics Make You Bitter Or Better? A Psychological Survival Conversation With CNN's Van Jones

Recorded in January 2025 during the week of the Presidential inauguration, this conversation with CNN commentator Van Jones is less about politics and more about how we react to politics. You'll hear ...

4 Apr 202521min

How To Suffer Less: Joseph Goldstein, Sam Harris, and Dan Harris on the Buddha's Eightfold Path

How To Suffer Less: Joseph Goldstein, Sam Harris, and Dan Harris on the Buddha's Eightfold Path

One of the foundational Buddhist lists—a kind of GPS for enlightenment.   Joseph Goldstein is a cofounder of the Insight Meditation Society and the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies, both in Barre, Ma...

2 Apr 20251h 56min

Populärt inom Hälsa

somna-med-henrik
rss-bara-en-till-om-missbruk-medberoende-2
rss-jossan-nina
inga-beiga-morsor
angestpodden
rss-vuxna-pa-latsas
sexnoveller-deluxe
johannes-hansen-podcast
rss-viktmedicinpodden
sova-med-dan-horning
rss-the-house-podcast-3
not-fanny-anymore
rss-sjalsligt-avkladd
sag-det-bara
sa-in-i-sjalen
brottarbroder
rss-the-house-podcast-4
rss-basta-livet
rss-hos-psykologen
rss-fet-fakta-podcast