Encounters with 'familiar strangers' play overlooked role in human interactions

(Phys.org)—According to a new study, there are more familiar strangers in our lives than friends, coworkers, and all other acquaintances combined. Encounters with familiar strangers, defined as pairs of individuals who repeatedly encounter each other but have never been acquainted, has so far been overlooked in research on human networks. The new study finds that familiar strangers may play a significant role in processes such as information sharing and disease spreading.