stance, a next-door neighbor’s happiness increased one’s chance of happiness by 34 percent, but a neighbor living farther away had no effect. Personal circumstance had a large effect on one’s happiness, but seeing a smiling face of a friend or neighbor could also spread the joy.
The idea behind social connectedness and well-being is nothing new. Numerous social epidemiology studies have also found that, particularly for elderly populations, cognitive decline slows when people have many contacts and participate in social gatherings.
Perhaps one of the biggest influences on our personal health can be a partner’s health. For instance, one study looked at how a spouse’s illness or death can affect their partner’s death risk. A spouse’s death increased their partner’s chance of premature death by 20 percent.
Healthy Environment Begets Healthy Networks
Of course, many of the reasons for our collective behavior have to do with our shared environment, not just who we hang out with. For instance, smokers wouldn’t be quitting without effective tobacco policies, like secondhand smoke bans, increased tobacco taxes, and marketing bans, all of which contributed to an environment that made it easier for people to quit. Likewise, common events and exposures may contribute to a community’s level of happiness or sadness, and weight gain or weight loss.
But what is clear is that we can and do influence collective behavior. Social connectedness influences health, and the networks in which we are a part can spread positive and negative behaviors. So next time you’re with friends and family, think about spreading the good behaviors, not the bad.