The Social Timeline
May 18, 2025Written by: Anna van Buuren
Social networks are dynamic. Research shows time and again that as people age, their social environment changes—in size, composition, and function. These changes do not occur randomly, but follow a clear age-related pattern, often influenced by life events.
What does research say about changes in social networks?
Both cross-sectional and longitudinal studies paint a consistent picture:
- The total social network continues to grow into young adulthood, but then gradually shrinks.
- A person's personal network (the people closest to them) and their circle of friends tend to shrink as they get older.
- The family network remains relatively stable, from adolescence through later life.
- Other relationships, such as those with coworkers and neighbors, are often temporary and play a more significant role only during specific stages of life.
Life events—such as starting college, beginning a career, having children, or retiring—can either expand or shrink social networks. When these transitions have not (yet) occurred, social networks often remain relatively stable.
The Stable Strength of Family
A striking constant in a person’s social network is the role of family. Evolutionary theories, such as that of Hamilton (1964), explain this through the importance of genetic transmission: family ties contribute to the survival of shared genetic material. Friendships and other social relationships are often based on mutual support and cooperation, and are therefore more susceptible to imbalance or conflict (Ikkink & Van Tilburg, 1998).
The Social Timeline
Although many studies focus on what happens to networks, little is known about the influence that people themselves can exert on their networks over time. To illustrate this visually and provide insight, we developed the Social Timeline. This timeline shows how the degree of influence on the network varies across three life stages:
Phase 1: Chance & Circumstances (From Baby to Child)
At this stage, you have very little influence over your social circle. You are completely dependent on your environment: your parents or caregivers determine who you come into contact with. Your social circle consists largely of family members and the people they bring into their lives.
Learn more: Sign up for the online course "The Social Timeline."Â
Phase 2: Discovery (Adolescence to Young Adulthood)
During high school and college, your world expands. You make new friends, develop social skills, and begin to form your own preferences. Still, your choices are still partly influenced by your circumstances, such as school, work, or family.
Read more about this phase in our blog –Phase 2: Discovery
Phase 3: Choices (Adults to Seniors)
At this stage, you have more and more autonomy. You choose where you live, who you spend time with, and where you invest your time and energy. Although circumstances such as health or the loss of loved ones can have an impact, you play the biggest role in this.
Read more about this phase in our blog –Phase 3: Choices
Why the Social Timeline Works
The power of the Social Timeline lies in making an implicit process explicit. Many people are unaware of how their networks develop. By mapping out the phases, we create a language for discussing relationships, influence, and connection.
For professionals, the model provides guidance on:
- To have conversations about social growth and loss
- Promoting Awareness and Self-Management
- Recognizing early signs of isolation or burnout
It also makes it clear that network development is not only a social process, but also fundamentally affects identity formation, well-being, and future prospects.
In short: awareness is the key
No matter what stage of life you’re in, one thing remains important: being aware of your social network. Understanding how it works, how it changes, and what you can influence will help you manage your relationships more actively and with greater resilience.
The " MLM-tool " helps with this. It makes your network visible, provides insight, and offers starting points for strengthening it—regardless of your age or stage of life. Curious about each phase of the social timeline?
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