Social networks can influence people through contagion. What does that mean?
A) When connection leads to disease or infection, sociologists call it contagion.
B) The influence of various social networks is contagious. Networks tend to mimic each other over the long run.
C) This borrows from a biological model: if people are weak, they are likely to "catch" the influence of their social network.
D) When people are connected to a social network, what happens in that network is more likely to affect them.
E) All of these are true.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Contagion in social networks refers to the idea that when people are connected to a social network, what happens in that network is more likely to affect them. It does not necessarily involve disease or infection, as in option A. Option B is partially correct, as networks can influence each other, but it does not necessarily mean that this influence is contagious. Option C may be true to some extent, but it simplifies the concept of contagion in social networks. Therefore, the best choice is D, which accurately describes the meaning of contagion in social networks.

Social Networks Can Influence People Through Contagion