Social Networks

The influence of social networks on behavior is being studied intensively by Nicholas Christakis, Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School (see, for example, Is Obesity Contagious? The Impact of Social Networks).

Besides obesity, smoking can also be considered in the framework of social networks. This is all based on the observation that people copy the behavior of their friends, and the friends of their friends. People like to be in groups that resemble themselves.

Smokers Stop in Groups

Based on research conducted on over 12,000 people, it was concluded that almost nobody stops smoking on his or her own. Ending smoking habits happens in groups. Someone wants to quit smoking? It is likely that a friend will join the effort. And a friend of that friend. And the friend of that friend, too. Three steps is how far this will usually go.

This research has shown that smokers, who do not necessarily know each other, try quitting at similar times, due to their social connectedness.

Finding 'Key People'

These findings can be used to get large numbers of people to stop smoking. By looking for and identifying the key people in social networks, meaning people with a lot of influence, the popular kids in high school or the employee everyone knows and likes, others can be influenced. If these ‘key people’ can be convinced to stop smoking, many others will follow.

So, do you want to stop smoking? Surround yourself with non-smokers. It seems that pointing out the dangers of smoking to friends of smokers might be more efficient than focusing on the smokers themselves.

But Beware of Exclusion

A potential problem is that the influence of a social network can be (too) harsh. Smokers in a non-smoking network might feel marginalized and can be pushed to the outside of the network, where they will connect with other smokers, leading to the rise of new networks of smokers that stimulate each other to keep smoking.

The important message to avoid this from happening is ‘love the smoker, hate the smoke’.

References

• Christakis, N.A. & Fowler, J.H. (2008). The Collective Dynamics of Smoking in a Large Social Network. New England Journal of Medicine. 358, pp. 2249 – 2258.
• Lazer, D.; Pentland, A.; Adamic,, L.; Aral, S.; Barabasi, A.L.; Brewer, D.; Christakis, N.; Contractor, N.; Fowler, J.; Gutmann, M.; Jebara, T.; King, G.; Macy, M.; Roy, D. & Van Alstyne, M. (2009). Life in the network: the coming age of computational social science. Science. 323(5915), pp. 721 – 723.