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From: bobd@zaphod.UUCP (Bob Dalgleish)
Newsgroups: net.misc
Subject: Re: Re: Small World Redux
Message-ID: <210@zaphod.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 19-Mar-85 00:21:05 EST
Article-I.D.: zaphod.210
Posted: Tue Mar 19 00:21:05 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 20-Mar-85 06:23:38 EST
References: <542@ahutb.UUCP> <1308@ut-sally.UUCP>
Organization: Develcon Electronics, Saskatoon, SK
Lines: 25

> 
> I remember reading an article a looooong time ago, in which a mathematician
> (discussing probability) stated that you could connect any two people in
> the United States by a string of no more than 5 people 95% of the time.
> By "connected", he meant connected to another person by at least being
> reasonably well acquainted. ...
> 
> Bill Bulko	{ihnp4,harvard,gatech,ctvax,seismo}!ut-sally!bulko

Actually, it wasn't a mathematician, it was a social psychologist by the
name of Millikan.  He ran a series of experiments, and found the 95%
result.  I think he also ran a similar series and showed the same level
of confidence for contacting anybody in the world in 10 people or fewer.
The actual reference can be found in an introductory social-psych text.

Millikan is most famous for his experiment in torture: he showed that 9
people out of 10 (or some such) would apply dangerous levels of voltage
to a subject (shill) when the experimenter and/or other shills applied
social pressure.  This is the one quoted in intro psych classes.
-- 
[The opinions expressed here are only loosely based on the facts]

Bob Dalgleish		...!alberta!sask!zaphod!bobd
			      ihnp4!
(My company has disclaimed any knowledge of me and whatever I might say)