UCSD professor discusses influence of friendships
Social networks can determine a person’s thoughts, beliefs and even behaviors, according to James Fowler, a professor at the University of California, San Diego.
The social scientist discussed his book, “Connected: The Surprising Power of Our Social Networks and How They Shape Our Lives,” which was co-authored by Nicholas Christakis, at Gambrell Hall on Wednesday night in the second annual Pi Sigma Alpha lecture.
Social networks, Fowler said, are not determined by geographical proximity but rather through people’s similarities and genes, as they seek out individuals who have similar interests and beliefs.
His studies have shown that people who smoke or drink have friends that also engage in these behaviors. Likewise, people who are obese usually have friends that are also overweight. The same concept also applies to healthy habits, such as generosity.
But what about social networks online, such as Twitter and Facebook?
Fowler’s studies suggest that social influence is not as strong among friends on these websites as in person.
However, he found that when friends who had close bonds in the real world — determined by the number of tagged photos they shared online — interacted on social media, they had as much influence as in person.
Fowler used an ongoing 32-year study, the Framingham Heart Study, to create his study on the power of influence within social networks.
Those studies found that people who were obese were often clustered together within their social networks. The impact is so great that if a person is obese, there is a 40-percent chance that his or her friend will be also, a 20-percent chance for that friend’s friend and a 10-percent chance for a friend of that person.
The study also found that the percentage of Americans who were obese has increased at a rapid rate over the last 32 years as incidences of smoking has decreased.
Those who do smoke were pushed from the central point of their respective social networks to the outer edges. Much of that change stemmed from increased awareness of smoking’s effects that was passed from friend to friend.
The same, Fowler said, could be true for obesity.
Fowler also said he believes that Americans can more easily facilitate the change of negative and positive behaviors through social networks.
“The message here is that you have to get your friends involved,” Fowler said. “If you want to make a positive change in your life, you don’t just go it alone. You have to tell your friends about it. You have to encourage them to make positive changes in their lives as well.”