The theory that the human brain's size and complexity evolved in response to the need to manage the complexity of group relationships gains more support as reported in this post from Futurepundit. It seems brain size increased most in areas where populations were most dense, with corresponding social complexity.
We are so wired to deal with social relationships that we treat animals and machines as part of our social world. A recent poll found that 86% of American pet owners considered their pet a member of the family. And Byron Reeves and Clifford Nass in The Media Equation have shown how little it takes to get us to treat machines as humans.
Or, as Chris Peterson sums up positive psychology, "Other people matter."
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