“Rule of 150” also known as “Dunbar’s number”, argues that the size of an original social network is limited to approximately 150 members. This rule results in cross-cultural studies in sociology and anthropology more specifically on the maximum size of a village (within the meaning rather heard of “ecovillage”).
It is theorized in evolutionary psychology that the number may be due to some human limit to recognize members and capture emotional facts about all members of a group. However, this may also be due to the economy and the need to detect stowaways, as it may be easier for a child living in a large group to take advantage of the benefits of living in a community without contributing itself to its individual common benefits.
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