The Impact of Social Networks
How do social networks influence people to change their values and behavior? From 2013 to 2024, an interdisciplinary research team led by Prof. René Algesheimer conducted research to better understand the impact of social networks on social change. Text: Janine Hammer
Humans are inherently social creatures. Thus, social networks have always been fundamental in shaping human behaviors, values, beliefs and cultures – and in creating a dynamic environment where individuals can influence one another. Through their ability to connect people and spread new norms and habits, social networks are therefore crucial in promoting widespread behavioral changes that underpin social change. For social change to be impactful, behavioral shifts must not only be adopted by a majority but also sustained over time. The rise of digital platforms like Instagram and LinkedIn has amplified these dynamics. Since 2014, increased screen time and reduced face-to-face interactions have led to denser digital networks, enhancing participation and creating complex, hard-to-predict network effects. These evolving interactions highlight the importance of understanding and leveraging social networks to drive collective behavioral shifts.
Insights from 12 years of research
Understanding the impact of social networks on behavioral shifts was the primary goal of the University Research Priority Program (URPP) “Social Networks”, led by Prof. René Algesheimer from the Department of Business Administration. For 12 years, an interdisciplinary team across the University of Zurich combined behavioral laboratory and field experiments as well as qualitative surveys to simulate collective behaviors and test scenario predictions. The research revealed that understanding connections within networks is vital to comprehending both individual and collective behaviors. On an individual level, for example, change in behavior only happens if people have also changed their values and opinions beforehand. This leads to the important realization that driving social change requires key people – so-called influencers – who encourage the followers in their network to change not only their values but also their behavior. As these micro-level interactions spread across the network, they lead to the emergence of macrolevel patterns and collective behaviors. As an outcome, the research team defined several frameworks: one to measure the stability of human values during childhood, another to understand how values develop and spread through networks, and a third for designing social change interventions that integrate individual and collective behavior models. The team also identified mechanisms that facilitate or hinder the success of interventions in social networks. The findings were applied through network interventions in Swiss schools, experiments on digital platforms to increase sustainable consumption and seeding programs promoting sustainable behaviors among cocoa farmers in Côte d’Ivoire.
Continuous research and impact
After 12 years of research and over 330 scientific papers, the URPP Social Networks has concluded. However, the impact of the program extends beyond its formal end. The researchers aim to leverage their insights to develop concrete policies for politics and the economy by starting a competence center for social change – The Change Lab – for which they are currently seeking sponsors.
René Algesheimer is a professor of marketing for social impact at the Department of Business Administration UZH. His research interests lie in studying human values, consumer well-being and social (influence) processes for a sustainable living. He teaches at Executive Education in the Marketing Management module of the CAS in General Management.
Source: Oec. Magazine issue #22