Social navigation strategies are the practices and approaches through which individuals interpret social environments, mobilize relationships, and adjust their actions to pursue goals under changing or uncertain social conditions ^[1][2]. In anthropology, these strategies involve reading social cues, anticipating the actions of others, identifying opportunities and constraints, and responding to shifting power relations and cultural expectations ^[1]. They may include building and maintaining social networks, seeking advice or support, negotiating group membership, cultivating relationships with influential individuals, and adapting behavior to local norms and institutional requirements ^[2][3]. The strategies people adopt are shaped by their social position, available resources, cultural knowledge, personal experiences, and the degree of uncertainty in their surroundings ^[1][3]. They may be deliberate or improvised and can change as relationships, institutions, and wider social conditions evolve ^[1][4]. In cross-cultural contexts, social navigation strategies can help people manage unfamiliar expectations, establish trust, access resources, and negotiate belonging across different social settings. Their use reflects the interaction between individual agency and the social structures within which people act.