The Science of Six Degrees of Separation

Summary

This script explores the concept of 'six degrees of separation', illustrating how everyone on Earth is connected through just six steps. It recounts the story of Sammy, whose viral MySpace code inadvertently demonstrated this theory. The script delves into the history of this idea, from Frigyes Karinthy's 1929 short story to Stanley Milgram's 'small world experiment'. It discusses how real-world networks, exemplified by the 'six degrees of Kevin Bacon' game, show both clustering and short path lengths. The importance of weak ties for social connection and job opportunities is highlighted, concluding with the idea that in the digital age, the degrees of separation might have shrunk to four.

Takeaways

• 😲 Sammy's viral code on MySpace spread rapidly, infecting a million accounts in just over 18 hours, demonstrating the interconnectedness of online platforms.
• 🌐 The story of Sammy illustrates the concept of how quickly information can spread across a network, emphasizing the power of virality in digital environments.
• 🔍 The 'six degrees of separation' theory suggests that any two people on Earth are connected by an average of six steps through their social connections.
• 📚 Hungarian author Frigyes Karinthy first introduced the concept of 'Chains' in 1929, which later became known as the 'six degrees of separation'.
• 🔬 Stanley Milgram's 'small world experiment' in the 1960s provided experimental evidence for the six degrees of separation theory, although the sample size was small.
• 🧵 Mathematician Paul Erdos' work on random networks showed that even a small number of random connections can lead to a 'giant cluster', forming a small world network.
• 🎭 The 'six degrees of Kevin Bacon' game and the subsequent sociological study revealed that the Hollywood actor network is a small world network with high clustering.
• 🔗 The rewiring of a few connections in a network can significantly reduce path lengths while maintaining high clustering, which is key to modeling real social networks.
• 💼 Granovetter's 'Strength of Weak Ties' theory suggests that random acquaintances are more likely to connect you to new opportunities than close friends.
• 📉 The degrees of separation may have decreased in recent years, with Facebook data showing that 92% of users are connected through just five steps.
• 🌐 The interconnectedness of people is not only a fascinating concept but also a comforting reminder of our global connectedness, supported by scientific data.

Q & A

What was the unintended consequence of Sammy's code on MySpace?

Sammy's code caused a viral effect where it copied not only his picture and tagline but also the code itself to other users' pages, leading to a rapid spread across MySpace. When he tried to delete his page to stop it, he inadvertently took down the entire platform.

How quickly did Sammy's code spread on MySpace?

Sammy's code spread very quickly, reaching 480 accounts in nine hours, 8800 accounts in 13 hours, and over a million accounts in just over 18 hours.

What was the legal outcome for Sammy after the MySpace incident?

Sammy was arrested and convicted of computer hacking. He was ordered not to use a computer for the next three years.

What is the concept of 'six degrees of separation'?

The concept of 'six degrees of separation' suggests that any two people on Earth are connected by an average of six steps or fewer through a chain of acquaintances.

Who originated the idea of 'six degrees of separation'?

The idea of 'six degrees of separation' originated from a short story called 'Chains' written by Hungarian author Frigyes Karinthy in 1929.

What was the small world experiment conducted by Stanley Milgram?

The small world experiment conducted by Stanley Milgram was designed to test the six degrees of separation theory by sending packages through chains of acquaintances to a target person. The experiment provided some empirical support to the theory.

What was the average number of intermediaries in Milgram's small world experiment?

In Milgram's experiment, the average number of intermediaries to reach the target was 5.2 steps.

How did Paul Erdos contribute to the understanding of social networks?

Paul Erdos contributed to the understanding of social networks by theorizing about the properties of random networks, showing how even a small number of random connections can lead to a connected network.

What is a 'small world network' and how does it relate to the concept of six degrees of separation?

A 'small world network' is a network where most nodes can be reached from every other node through a small number of steps. This concept relates to six degrees of separation by suggesting that most people are connected through a short chain of acquaintances.

What is the significance of 'weak ties' in social networks?

Weak ties, or random acquaintances, are significant in social networks because they can provide access to new social circles and opportunities, such as jobs, that might not be available through close friends.

How has the concept of six degrees of separation evolved with the growth of social media?

With the growth of social media, the concept of six degrees of separation has potentially decreased to four or five degrees, as people are more connected through social platforms like Facebook.

What was the challenge presented at the end of the script?

The challenge was to send an email to the presenter through a chain of acquaintances, without sending it directly, to demonstrate the concept of six degrees of separation.