This research aimed to investigate human’s interpersonal relationships. Specifically, we
tried to replicate partially Stiller & Dunbar’s (2007) work, using the same instrument
with another sample, though. The main objective was verify whether the social
networks were according to Social Brain Hypothesis, on which human beings are
capable of keeping and administrating an optimal number of interpersonal relationships,
around 150 average. We found a mean of 52,53 social contacts, lower than the predict
value, spending about 25% of their time with them. There were significant correlations
among social network size, frequency of contact, time spent in contact, emotional
closeness, and genetic relatedness, in the general social network, in relatives’ networks,
and friends’ networks. Despite of long distant communications availability, respondents
preferred make face-to-face contact with their social network members. We discussed
the results from the perspective of four non mutual exclusive hypotheses. In the other
hand, secondary hypothesis were confirmed about social network composition, and
about interactions of social network size, frequency of contact, time spent in contact,
and emotional closeness. We suggest additional studies to investigate other variables
that may increase the comprehension of social networks, and the differences found.
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