Social Network Analysis and the Dynamic Spread of Happiness

[Graham Durant-Law]

Sometime ago I posted some commentary about this study by Doctor Nicholas Christakis and Doctor James Fowler, who used network analysis to aid understanding of obesity. I also posted some commentary on this study on using network analysis to aid the understanding smoking behaviour. Both studies were published in the New England Journal of Medicine. This time Doctors Christakis and Fowler have published a study on happiness in the January 2009 edition of the British Medical Journal, or BMJ for short.

The study design is a longitudinal social network analysis of 4,739 individuals followed from 1983 to 2003. Interestingly happiness, or unhappiness, extends to three degrees. That is to say if you are happy your friend’s friends are also likely to be happy. Unfortunately the reverse also applies! I found this finding of most interest: ...

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