Thinking in circles (continued...)

After researching these concentric rings – like those of trees – I discovered that it was in fact one of many adaptations of Schneiderman’s visual representation. Ben Shneiderman is a Professor in Computer Science at the University of Maryland and is the individual credited with that graphic illustration, called circles of relationships.

It shows several concentric ovals (centering on the self) that illustrate how Trust dissipates outward. As we move away from people near to us, we trust them less. Typically there are "circles" of relationships, defined by interdependence, shared knowledge, and trust:

• Self - Personal space (security, privacy and safety) 
• Family and Friends (small number of people with enduring relationship, high level of trust and openness) 
• Colleagues and Neighbors (larger group of people with frequent encounters, common interest, much lower level of trust) 
• Citizens and Markets - Culture or Nation (less interaction, little in common) 
• Some also suggest a fifth circle representing the hostile outer world (strangers, enemies, fear and strong suspicion.) 

This illustration has been used in all sorts of... circles (pardon the pun!) and adapted for a variety of purposes ranging from children education to urban planning or theories about social media. It can also be evolved into 3-D representation when some additional parameter needs to be part of the equation.