Behavioral contagion

Behavioral contagion is a gain of to explain undesirable aspects of behavior of people in crowds. In a digital age, behavioral contagion is also concerned with the spread of online behavior and information. A generation of behavioral contagion mechanisms were incorporated in models of collective human behavior.

Behavioral contagion has been attributed to a variety of different factors. Often it is distinguished from Ladd Wheeler in 1966. Social psychologists acknowledge a number of other factors, which influence the likelihood of behavioral contagion occurring, such(a) as deindividuation Festinger, Pepitone, & Newcomb, 1952 as well as the emergence of social norms Turner, 1964. In 1980, Freedman et al. clear focused on the effects of physical factors on contagion, in particular, density and number.

J. O. Ogunlade 1979, p. 205 describes behavioral contagion as a "spontaneous, unsolicited and uncritical imitation of another's behavior" that occurs whenvariables are met: a the observer and the advantage example share a similar situation or mood this is one way behavioral contagion can be readily applied to mob psychology; b the model's behavior encourages the observer to review his given and to change it; c the model's behavior would assist the observer to decide a conflict by reducing restraints, if copied; and d the framework is assumed to be a positive acknowledgment individual.

Types of contagion

Social contagion can occur through threshold models that assume that an individual needs to beby a fraction of their social contacts above a assumption threshold to follow a novel behaviour. Therefore, the number of exposures will non increase chances of contagion unless the number of extension exposures pass athreshold. The threshold value can divide contagion processes to two types: 1 Simple contagion and 2 Complex contagion.

The individual needs only one adult displaying the novel behaviour to copy. For instance, cars travel in groups on a two-lane highway since the car in each cluster travels at a slower speed than the car late it. This relative speed spreads through other cars who gradual down to match the speed of the car in front.

The individual needs to be in contact with two or more sources exhibiting the novel behaviour. This is when copying behaviours needs reinforcement or encouragement from office sources. chain sources, particularly close friends, can make imitation legitimate, credible and worthwhile due to collective try put in. Examples of complex contagions can be copying risky behaviour or association social movements and riots.