Six degrees of separation theory: What is it, how does it work and how real is it?

The six degrees of separation theory is based on the fact that through a chain of acquaintances, anyone can meet another just by interacting with 5 links or grades.

It is called “degrees” number of contacts with whom the individual must engage in a conversation to meet a new important contact.

At the time this hypothesis was created, it was believed or assumed that only needed a total of 6 people so that it could be fulfilled. Although, nowadays thanks to social networks, the necessary number has changed and it is now believed that there are only 4 jumps apart for this to come true. Are you interested in the topic? She continues reading to find out more.

What is the Six Degrees of Separation Theory and how does it work?

This theory has as a fundamental idea that the number of acquaintances grows exponentially through the number of chain friends. In such a way that only a small number of contacts are necessary for this set of relatives to become the entire human population.

Namely, one person knows another and that one knows another, and so on. In such a way that a chain is created where everyone directly or indirectly knows each other or can know each other.

A curious fact is that social networks, although we do not know, work under this same foundation of the conjecture of the six leaps of separation. Since to meet a new person, it is only enough to have a mutual friend, similar tastes, live in the same place or close to it. Even having people who live in the nearby area, even if they are not in direct contact with the new acquaintance.

Origin of the six degrees theory When and who proposed this theory?

This assumption originated between the year 1929 and 1930 when the hungarian writer Frigyes Karinthy formulated the theory of the six degrees.

Which consists, according to Karinthy’s idea, in that any person on Earth can be connected to any other person on the same planet by a thread or a connection of acquaintances. Which do not have more than five intermediaries or connections between them. Which would allow meeting almost anyone or communicating a message to a person through this network of contacts.

How have social networks changed the Theory of 6 degrees of separation?

The change or the way social networks have changed it has been very significant, and it is considered that over time it will be even more affected.

It should be noted that when it was created, there was a long time before the emergence of the Internet and the networks themselves; which would undoubtedly make this somewhat smaller.

Something that we have seen over the years, because these platforms have multiplied their connections, so today there could be fewer jumps between two people.

For example, on the Facebook platform for the year 2008 this hypothesis handled a figure of 5.28 degrees of separation. Three years later, by 2011, the required amount or degrees of separation was 4.7.

By 2013 researchers from the National Chiao Tung University in Taiwan, They calculated that the amount had again been reduced to 3.8 the average of the separation jumps between people.

Not unlike platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter or Instagram, that show people you may know based on the degrees of relationship or interests that unite them.

This leads us to think that we are closer than we think and that the world is smaller than we imagine, because a friend of your friend possibly knows a friend of other friends.

which states that social networks have decreased the number of people needed to meet another of some interest. Making it not impossible to be able to contact that individual due to distance or other factors.

Is it possible to know any person through the theory of the 6 degrees?

There is a great possibility of meeting almost anyone in the world, through the 6 degree chain of contacts. Nevertheless, the more famous or “important” the person is, the less likely it is.

That is, if you wanted to meet the President of your country and you do not have the right contacts, it will be impossible for you. But, you can contact other people to help you get to it. For what helps you in many of these cases, is that your list of intermediaries is larger.

If you have close people or close contacts to the president, the chances of being able to contact him increase.