Choose Your Friends Wisely

When we think of the word “contagious,” we often think of something negative, like the flu. But transmitted diseases aren’t the only thing that can quickly spread within a society—certain feelings, emotions, and behaviors can be easier to catch than the common cold. Does seeing others laugh or yawn make you want to do it too? You’re definitely not alone—“behavioral contagion,” or the tendency for a behavior exhibited by one or more people to be rapidly copied by others, is a well-documented phenomenon in psychology.