Did you know that you can reflect what other people are feeling without even realizing it? In this episode of Everyday Happiness, we explore what behavior contagion is and how it spreads. 

 

Transcript:

 

Welcome to Everyday Happiness where we create lasting happiness, in about 2 minutes a day, through my signature method of Intentional Margins® (creating harmony between your to-dos and your priorities), happiness science, and musings about life. 

 

I'm your host Katie Jefcoat, and You know the saying, "monkey see, monkey do." We know this phrase as a way to describe someone mimicking another, intentionally or not. Sometimes it is a child who wants to be just like dad, and other times it is an adult who acts as a mirror without even thinking. Scientifically, this action is known as behavioral contagion. Today, I am going to explore what behavior contagion is and how it spreads.

 

First, let’s talk about what a behavioral contagion is. According to the Encyclopedia of Social Psychology, “Behavioral contagion is the tendency for people to repeat behavior after others have performed it.” It is essentially mimicry but on an unconscious level. The definition listed examples of behavioral contagion as speech variables such as syntax, accents, speech rate, pauses, tone of voice, and behavioral variables such as gestures, mannerisms, and postures.

 

Wow, Katie, that’s a lot! What all does that even mean? Let’s break this down.

 

Behavioral contagions primarily work based on physiological cues. For example, it may be a subtle facial expression, a shift in body language, a flexing of a muscle, or even something as simple as laughter. We all know how contagious a good laugh is!

 

You may recognize it as also yawning when someone else yawns, tearing up when watching someone cry, or puking not because you are sick but because you saw someone else puke.

 

After conducting a behavioral contagion study, Sigal Barsade, associate professor at the University of Pennsylvania, said, "We aren't emotional islands…People are sort of walking mood conductors and we need to be aware of that."

 

However, it isn’t just physical. Behavioral contagions work on an emotional level as well. Studies have shown that emotional contagions can be both positive and negative. Feelings of enthusiasm, joy, and happiness can spread just as much as sadness, fear, and anger. For example, you know that one coworker at the office whose mood affects everyone? That, right, there is an epicenter for these contagions.

 

How deeply behavioral and emotional contagions spread depends on the trigger person. As unique people, we communicate how we feel at different levels, both verbally and physiologically. Some people can better transmit their emotions, even if they don't mean to. Going back to that coworker example. If you have one of those people in the office, they likely transmit their emotions easily, whether they mean to or not.

 

Now, if we can recognize this, can’t we use it for happiness? Tune in tomorrow to check out my episode on how to use behavioral contagions to your benefit.

 

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Inspired by this article in https://sk.sagepub.com/reference/socialpsychology/n60.xml#:~:text=Behavioral%20contagion%20is%20the%20tendency,fact%20that%20we%20copy%20behavior.