The Impact Of The Three Degrees Of Influence Theory

In recent years, there have been many important studies that focus on how people are affected. The three degrees of influence theory came from one of them. This is a very interesting theory that encourages us to take into account the effects we say and have on others.

Some time ago, the six degrees of separation theory emerged. It declared that each person was separated from the great figures of mankind by only six degrees. In other words, each of us knows someone, who knows someone else, who knows someone else who knows Donald Trump.

The three degrees of influence theory are quite similar. But the effects are more striking in our lives. This theory was developed by Nicholas Christakis and James Fowler in 2010. It shows that no matter how separated we are from others, we are never an island.

The three degrees of influence theory

According to Christakis and Fowler, we influence the thoughts and behaviors of our friends (first degree), the thoughts and behaviors of our friends’ friends (second degree), and the thoughts and behaviors of our friends’ friends’ friends (third degree).

Now, how did they come to that conclusion? In 2007 , these researchers participated in a study related to cardiovascular disease that had begun in 1948. This study was conducted in the city of Framingham, in the United States. Two thirds of the adult population participated and then their children and grandchildren as well.

Each participant had to make a list of relatives, friends, neighbors and colleagues. Many of these also participated in the study since the city was very small. These data enabled them to establish a network of relationships between the participants.

Research findings

After completing the study, 50,000 links were defined among the participants. The researchers began to cross-reference data related to the participant’s style and quality of life. They wanted to know if the changes experienced by one of the members of this social network had any kind of influence on the other members.

One of the things in the study was obesity. Christakis and Fowler were determined to find out if, for example, the fact that some people became overweight had an influence on their social networks,  so that the others also became overweight. The results were shocking.

They were able to decide that if someone became overweight, their friends had a 45% chance of becoming overweight as well. In turn, friends of friends will have 20% risk. And consequently, friends of friends of friends will have 10% risk. No influence was observed outside the third degree. This is how they established the three degrees of influence theory.

Mental and physical aspects

In conclusion, the researchers said that other behaviors such as smoking would also have the same effect as obesity. The three degrees of influence rules also apply in that case. In the same way, the opposite effect can also take place in both cases ( obesity and smoking). If someone from the social network loses weight or stops smoking, this affects the behavior of others.

Both Christakis and Fowler, as well as other researchers, were able to prove that this also applies to attitudes and feelings. For example, those who are friends with lonely people tend to feel lonely as well. Something similar to this also happens with happiness, cooperative behavior, alcohol consumption and almost every behavior and attitude.

To the researchers’ surprise, they also found that celebrities, for example, have little or no influence on people’s behavior. If a celebrity decided to go on a diet, it would have no effect on their followers. On the other hand, if your friend did, it would affect you.

This theory leads us to assume that we are not islands, and that everything we do and say will affect those around us in some way. It also tells us that if we want to change something, we must start with ourselves. In a special way, this will spread and lead to the great changes that many people long for.