Induction of social contagion for diverse outcomes in structured experiments in isolated villages

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Airoldi, Edoardo M.; Christakis, Nicholas A.
• 署名单位: Pennsylvania Commonwealth System of Higher Education (PCSHE); Temple University; Pennsylvania Commonwealth System of Higher Education (PCSHE); Temple University; Yale University; Yale University; Yale University
• 刊物名称: SCIENCE
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0036-8160
• DOI: 10.1126/science.adi5147
• 发表日期: 2024-05-03
• 关键词: behavior-change; networks; HEALTH; interventions; COOPERATION

摘要

Certain people occupy topological positions within social networks that enhance their effectiveness at inducing spillovers. We mapped face-to-face networks among 24,702 people in 176 isolated villages in Honduras and randomly assigned villages to targeting methods, varying the fraction of households receiving a 22-month health education package and the method by which households were chosen (randomly versus using the friendship-nomination algorithm). We assessed 117 diverse knowledge, attitude, and practice outcomes. Friendship-nomination targeting reduced the number of households needed to attain specified levels of village-wide uptake. Knowledge spread more readily than behavior, and spillovers extended to two degrees of separation. Outcomes that were intrinsically easier to adopt also manifested greater spillovers. Network targeting using friendship nomination effectively promotes population-wide improvements in welfare through social contagion.