Robin Dunbar's seminal work, 'Grooming, Gossip, and the Evolution of Language,' posits that language evolved as a highly efficient form of social grooming, enabling humans to maintain significantly larger social networks than other primates. He introduces 'Dunbar's Number,' a theoretical cognitive limit to the number of stable social relationships an individual can maintain. The book meticulously explores the intricate link between brain size, the complexity of social structures, and the pivotal role of language in the development of human communication and societal cohesion.
I associate it with Nick Humphrey or Robin Dunbar
""Robin Dunbar was mentioned alongside Nick Humphrey in the context of theories linking social group size and the evolution of the human brain. 'Grooming, Gossip, and the Evolution of Language' is his most influential work on this specific topic."