Cognitive mechanisms underlying the recall of positive relationships in social networks

Abstract Humans are embedded in complex social networks. To utilize them, they regularly need to recall with whom they are connected. This recall is cognitively demanding and utilizes a variety of heuristic cognitive mechanisms. We empirically investigate traces of these mechanisms in the context of free and repeated recall of positive social relationships (friendships, positive interactions) within an emerging undergraduate student community ( $$N = 820$$ participants). Applying multinomial modeling, we study the specific sequences in which individuals recalled their peers when prompted in a repeated online survey. We demonstrate that recall sequences are governed by multidimensional aspects: demographic similarity, shared social contexts, relationship quality, and social visibility. These aspects are relevant for the relation between the nominator and nominee but also for the associations between consecutively recalled individuals. Post-hoc analyses suggests that these patterns are stable across individuals and network types, but vary within sequences and as the community matures.