How much language use is actually on social topics: Human conversational behavior revisited

Abstract

Our study delves into the intricacies of human conversation within the framework of evolutionary psychology, focusing on the proportion of “social” to “non-social” topics in casual conversation. Building upon the seminal study by Dunbar et al. (1997), which posited that two-thirds of conversation gravitates around social matters, our findings indicate an even larger portion, approximately 85%, dedicated to such topics. Additionally, we provide a nuanced categorization of “social” rooted in the principles of evolutionary psychology. Post-hoc demographic analyses revealed females to be more inclined towards social discussions and more engagement in social topics among individuals aged 20–24. Similarly to Dunbar et al.’s findings, our results support theories of human evolution that highlight the importance of social interactions and information exchange and the importance of the exchange of social information in human interactions across various contexts.