Women perform better in tight-knit social networks, research finds
On average, women are better at remembering tight-knit social networks, where most people know each other, finds research from NEOMA Business School.
20 February 2026
This article is taken from the Spring/Summer 2026 issue
of Think Global People magazine
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The study, co-authored by Helena González-Gómez, Professor of People and Organizations at NEOMA, with professors Eric Quintane (ESMT, Germany), Matthew Brashears (U. of South Carolina, U.S.), and Raina Brands (UCL, U.K.) analyses the behaviours of over 10,000 people in the U.S.The researchers find that women are more likely to use patterns of thought (called “mental schemas”) that helps with remembering more sociable networks. This “mental shortcut” infers social relationships based on mutual connections. If two people have a mutual contact, it’s more likely that they also know each other.
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