social contagion

English

Noun

social contagion (countable and uncountable, plural social contagions)

  1. (pathology, sociology, psychology) The spontaneous spread of behaviour when it is unconsciously copied from one individual by another; a behavior that spreads in this manner.
    Synonyms: behavioral contagion, behavioural contagion
    • 1852, Horace Bushnell, Unconscious Influence: A Sermon, page 4:
      A Peter leads a John, a John goes after a Peter, both of them unconscious of any influence exercised or received. And thus our life and conduct are ever propagating themselves, by a law of social contagion, throughout the circles […]
    • 2025 November 13, Kamala Thiagarajan, “If you're going to be kind to another human, today is the day to do it!”, in NPR‎[1]:
      Says Nabi: Your kindness influences a friend, who influences their friend, who influences their friend. "This creates what is often termed as 'social contagion.'"Says Nabi: Your kindness influences a friend, who influences their friend, who influences their friend. "This creates what is often termed as 'social contagion.'"
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