Friends in East Anglia. A Quantitative Analysis of the Number of Acquaintances an Individual knows.

The Problem Gladwell, Malcolm. (2000), The Tipping Point. Abacus. London. N=41 and ONLY level of education affects N Barabási, Albert-lászló, (2002), linked: the new science of networks, Perseus Publishing. Watts, Duncan. (2003), Six Degrees. William Heinemann, London.

Others Work in the Area. Dunbar, Robin (1998). Grooming, Gossip, and the Evolution of Language. Harvard University Press. N=150 Bernard, H. Russell, Gene Ann Shelley and Peter Killworth. (1987). "How Much of a Network does the GSS and RSW Dredge Up?" Social Networks 9: N=231

Methods. I gave blank books to 9 people I asked them to circulate them amongst there friends to complete them Without referring to an address book please record as many surnames of people you personally know Please now mark with a tick all of these that live within 10 miles of yourself

Data Set. No of Books5 No of Collectors 9 No of Participants95 No of Uncompleted Lists0

No of Acquaintances. N=43

Figure 2 – Number of reported contacts living more than 10 miles away from the respondent plotted against the number of years that a respondent reported living within 10 miles of their currant address. The effect of the number of years living in a location on the number of distant acquaintances.

Figure 3 – Number of reported contacts living within 10 miles of a respondent plotted against the number of years that a respondent reported living within 10 miles of their current address. The effect of the number of years living in a location on the number of close acquaintances.

The effect of gender on the number of acquaintances. Figure 4 – Number of reported contacts of a male or female respondent plotted against the number of years that respondent reported living within 10 miles of their present address.

Effect of rural living on the number of acquaintances. Figure 5 – Number of reported contacts living less than 10 miles away from a respondent plotted against the number of years that the respondent reported living within 10 miles of their present address.

Summary In summary the situation is far more dynamic as there are other variables that effect the number of acquaintances an individual has other than the level of education as identified in Gladwell (2000). I identify these as the gender of the respondent, the time a respondent has lived in a location and the type of location. This all has an affect the number of acquaintances an individual has.