The Hidden Influence of Social Networks

Could sustained emotion spread over a large group of people? This is a question that Nicholas Christakis has been asking for years now, and has some great theories on.

Christakis, a Harvard professor and author, directs a research group investigating social networks. His work examines the rules that govern how we form our social circles and the rules that dictate how our lives are shaped by those networks. He spoke at a TED conference on The Hidden Influence of Social Networks where he shared some of his ideas and studies. He didn’t specifically address our online tendencies, but I think his ideas can be applied to any of our social inclinations, including digital social networking.

One of his thoughts is that social networks are a vast quilt of humanity. There are patches all over the quilt, and whether you are happy or not depends on whether or not you occupy a happy patch. Another way to think of it is if you surround your self with happy, healthy people, you too will become happy and healthy. Seems simple enough, but when you look at your online social network, what do you see?

Most people tend to have a grouping of associates who predominately share positive, funny, inspiring stories. They also probably have another group that sticks to writing about how horrible their day is, every day. Within this maze of people and emotions, where do you lie? According to Christakis, your location in these social networks has very real implications in your life. Your ties to people shape your life experiences and shape theirs as well. Emotions, language and thoughts trickle through our social ties, then to others, and then on to even more. Our message creates a landscape that we occupy and inevitably pass on to others.

If Christakis is correct, are you influencing your network in a way that sustains the fabric you’d like to live on? Are you influencing your social circle in such a way that you can say you are occupying a happy, healthy, positive, inspiring patch?