In her essay “The Limits of Friendship”, Maria Konnikova, renowned poker player and writer with a Ph.D. in psychology, discusses how the use of social media cannot replace interactions made in person. Konnikova emphasizes that physical touch and shared experiences are the major drivers of social connection, and that social media cannot replicate these connections. Driving her argument using the Dunbar number, a number based on the relationship between cortical tissue and social group size in primates and other animals, Konnikova mentions that social media may have repercussions on our ability to maintain the Dunbar’s 150 person limit. By the end of the essay, Konnikova argues that the possibility of social media replacing in-person connection is a dangerous precedent and should be approached with caution.

MLA Citation:

Konnikova, Maria. “The Limits of Friendship.” The New Yorker, 7 Oct. 2014, https://www.newyorker.com/science/maria-  konnikova/social-media-affect-math-dunbar-number-friendships.