Cognitive Scaffold

Preparing your thinking workspace

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MENTAL MODEL · M1371

Dunbar Layers

Dunbar Layers
Learn & MetacognitionHigh supportCognitive Science
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Version 1.0.0 · Updated 2026-07-30

CORE DEFINITION

Subdivision of Dunbar's number. Your social circle is layered: 5 (close friends), 15 (good friends), 50 (friends), 150 (acquaintances). The cognitive cost and emotional investment for each layer increase by a factor of 3.

SCAFFOLDING EFFECT

psychology

Reduce cognitive load

Manage network bandwidth. You cannot maintain 'close friend' relationships with 150 people. Allocate energy according to layers, giving the most precious time to the core 5-15 people.

anchor

Anchor fast decisions

Dunbar proposed that human stable social layers have a layered structure (approximately 5, 15, 50, 150...), limited by neocortical processing capacity, with the number of relationship layers corresponding to the upper limit of cognitive load.

MINIMUM ACTION

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Source support: Explicit

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    baike.baidu.comhttps://baike.baidu.com/view/1560858.htmZH · Explicit
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