Human Group Size Puzzle: Why It Is Odd That We Live in Large Societies

Abstract

AbstractHuman groups tend to be much larger than those of non-human primates. This is a puzzle. When ecological factors do not limit primate group size, the problem of coordination creates an upper threshold even when cooperation is guaranteed. This paper offers a simple model of group coordination towards behavioural synchrony to spell out the mechanics of group size limits, and thus show why it is odd that humans live in large societies. The findings suggest that many of our species’ evolved social behaviours and culturally-maintained social technologies emerged as a solution to this problem.