Long-Distance Connections Like Those on Social Media Affect ‘Social Contagion’ Spread

Social contagions are real. Now, thanks to researchers from the University of Pittsburgh, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and Harvard University, science can prove it. The mathematics and engineering departments from the three schools worked together to discover why simple decisions, like where a person chooses to shop, and more complex decisions, like vaccinating one’s child, can be influenced by the thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors of others—both near and far. “We choose to be in networks, both offline and online, that are compatible with our own thinking,” Amin Rahimian, assistant professor of industrial engineering at the University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering, said in a news release. “The social contagion of behavior through networks can help us understand how and why new norms, products, and ideas are adopted.”...