When we were reading the Centola and Macy article, I found one example very helpful in distinguishing between weak and complex ties. It was that simple contagion through weak ties may spread health information but that complex contagion (especially through strong ties) is needed to change health habits. I know this resonated for me in the form of information and action on high cholesterol.
I have genetically high cholesterol that my doctor discovered when I was about 13. As my doctor put it, my numbers were “off the charts”. I’ve been on Lipitor every since. High cholesterol is not a hard subject to obtain information on. I had information from my doctor, a dietician, and research I did on my own. I knew that I should exercise more and cut a LOT of cholesterol and saturated fat from my diet. The information got through with simple contagion, especially through weak ties with medical professionals.
The implementation of the information was quite different. My family eats a lot of meat, drinks 2% milk, likes eggs, mayonnaise, full-fat sour cream and cottage cheese. We eat a decent amount of processed food (which tends to be high in saturated fat, a fat your body changes to cholesterol). My parents don’t go to the gym. We’re a pretty average American family, but what I really should be doing is the very active veggie-lover lifestyle. I could do the very active veggie-lover lifestyle, but I’m not going to go out and buy my own store of low-fat protein options and non-fat dairy items. Nor was I going to initiate an exercise plan on my own.
My health habits have gotten better over the years, but it has been mostly recently. My dad discovered he also had high cholesterol so it was more of a family movement to lower fat options. My roommates at college exercise. I exercise. They eat salad. I eat more salad. My strong ties from various aspects of my life – friends and family – have been the complex contagion necessary to change my health habits, just as Centola and Macy predicted.
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