scholarly journals Policy learning as complex contagion: how social networks shape organizational beliefs in forest-based climate change mitigation

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antti Gronow ◽  
Maria Brockhaus ◽  
Monica Di Gregorio ◽  
Aasa Karimo ◽  
Tuomas Ylä-Anttila
Keyword(s):  
Social Network ◽  
Social Influence ◽  
Belief Change ◽  
Forest Degradation ◽  
Policy Learning ◽  
Policy Network ◽  
Policy Problem ◽  
Perceived Need ◽  
Organizational Beliefs ◽  
Policy Subsystems

AbstractPolicy learning can alter the perceptions of both the seriousness and the causes of a policy problem, thus also altering the perceived need to do something about the problem. This then allows for the informed weighing of different policy options. Taking a social network perspective, we argue that the role of social influence as a driver of policy learning has been overlooked in the literature. Network research has shown that normatively laden belief change is likely to occur through complex contagion—a process in which an actor receives social reinforcement from more than one contact in its social network. We test the applicability of this idea to policy learning using node-level network regression models on a unique longitudinal policy network survey dataset concerning the Reducing Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) initiative in Brazil, Indonesia, and Vietnam. We find that network connections explain policy learning in Indonesia and Vietnam, where the policy subsystems are collaborative, but not in Brazil, where the level of conflict is higher and the subsystem is more established. The results suggest that policy learning is more likely to result from social influence and complex contagion in collaborative than in conflictual settings.

scholarly journals Challenging the Status Quo through Social Influence: Changes in Sustainable Consumption through the Influence of Social Networks

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (10) ◽  
pp. 5513
Author(s):  
Iljana Schubert ◽  
Judith I. M. de Groot ◽  
Adrian C. Newton
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
Social Network ◽  
Social Influence ◽  
Food Consumption ◽  
Status Quo ◽  
Injunctive Norms ◽  
Sustainable Food ◽  
Consumption Choices ◽  
The Status ◽  
Consumption Practices

This study examines the influence of social network members (versus strangers) on sustainable food consumption choices to investigate how social influence can challenge the status quo in unsustainable consumption practices. We hypothesized that changes to individual consumption practices could be achieved by revealing ‘invisible’ descriptive and injunctive social norms. We further hypothesized that it matters who reveals these norms, meaning that social network members expressing their norms will have a stronger influence on other’s consumption choices than if these norms are expressed by strangers. We tested these hypotheses in a field experiment (N = 134), where participants discussed previous sustainable food consumption (revealing descriptive norms) and its importance (revealing injunctive norms) with either a stranger or social network member. We measured actual sustainable food consumption through the extent to which participants chose organic over non-organic consumables during the debrief. Findings showed that revealed injunctive norms significantly influenced food consumption, more so than revealed descriptive norms. We also found that this influence was stronger for social network members compared to strangers. Implications and further research directions in relation to how social networks can be used to evoke sustainable social change are discussed.

scholarly journals Social Influence on the User in Social Network: Types of Communications in Assessment of the Behavioral Risks connected with the Socio-engineering Attacks

2019 ◽  
pp. 104-117
Author(s):  
Anastasiia Khlobystova ◽  
◽  
Maxim Abramov ◽  
Tatiana Tulupyeva ◽  
Alexander Tulupyev ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Network ◽  
Social Influence

scholarly journals Social network members who engage in activities with older adults: do they bring more social benefits than other members?

2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (5) ◽  
pp. 1050-1069 ◽  
Author(s):  
SATO ASHIDA ◽  
DANIEL K. SEWELL ◽  
ELLEN J. SCHAFER ◽  
AUDREY SCHROER ◽  
JULIA FRIBERG
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Network ◽  
Social Influence ◽  
Social Relationships ◽  
Social Engagement ◽  
The United States ◽  
Social Benefits ◽  
Social Activities ◽  
Generalised Linear Mixed Model

ABSTRACTActive participation in social activities is important for the wellbeing of older adults. This study explored benefits of active social engagement by evaluating whether relationships that comprise active involvement (e.g. co-engagement in activities) bring more social benefits (i.e. social support, companionship, positive social influence) than other relationships that do not involve co-engagement. A total of 133 adults ages 60 years and older living in a rural Midwestern city in the United States of America were interviewed once and provided information on 1,740 social network members. Among 1,506 social relationships in which interactions occurred at least once a month, 52 per cent involved engagement in social activities together and 35 per cent involved eating together regularly. Results of the generalised linear mixed model showed that relationships involving co-engagement were significantly more likely to also convey social support (i.e. emotional, instrumental, informational), companionship and social influence (encouragement for healthy behaviours) than relationships that do not involve co-engagement. Having more network members who provide companionship was associated with higher sense of environmental mastery, positive relations with others and satisfaction with social network. Interventions may focus on maintaining and developing such social relationships and ensuring the presence of social settings in which co-engagement can occur. Future research may explore whether increasing co-engagement leads to an enhanced sense of companionship and psychological wellbeing.

scholarly journals Accessible Tourism in Natural Park Areas: A Social Network Analysis to Discard Barriers and Provide Information for People with Disabilities

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (23) ◽  
pp. 9915 ◽  
Author(s):  
Piervito Bianchi ◽  
Giulio Mario Cappelletti ◽  
Elisabetta Mafrolla ◽  
Edgardo Sica ◽  
Roberta Sisto
Keyword(s):  
Social Network ◽  
Social Network Analysis ◽  
Network Analysis ◽  
People With Disabilities ◽  
Policy Network ◽  
Natural Park ◽  
Lack Of Information ◽  
The Social ◽  
Protected Natural Area ◽  
Information And Communication

Although regulations designed to meet the necessities of tourists with disabilities are allowing disables to travel more, they are still encountering barriers and discriminatory practices. A relevant obstacle in making the tourist policy effective is represented by the lack of information and communication about needs and expectations of disabled categories. In this context, the present paper focuses on the coproduction process of tourist public policies for disables by looking at the network that facilitates communication among the actors taking part in the process. We adopt the Social Network Analysis (SNA) to study the policy network, i.e., how public administrations and policy users (associations of citizens/people with disabilities and entrepreneurs) exchange information about the accessibility to the Gargano National Park, a protected natural area in the South of Italy. In particular, we investigate the role of entrepreneurial stakeholders in channeling information and the presence of policy brokers, i.e., stakeholders that spread the policies to the whole network. Our findings show that a limited number of actors involved in granting accessibility to tourists with disabilities is engaged in information exchanges. Moreover, information flows are guided by only one public administration that plays, therefore, a key role in the implementation of policies that support the parks’ accessibility.

How social influence and personality affect users’ social network fatigue and discontinuance behavior

2018 ◽  
Vol 70 (4) ◽  
pp. 344-366 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sajad Shokouhyar ◽  
Seyed Hossein Siadat ◽  
Mojde Khazeni Razavi
Keyword(s):  
Social Network ◽  
Social Influence ◽  
Least Squares ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Least Squares Method ◽  
Social Network Sites ◽  
Research Model ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Partial Least Squares Method ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to focus on understanding how social influence and personality of individuals differentiate between users’ social network fatigue and discontinuance behavior. Furthermore, the most common discontinuance behavior among users was investigated. Design/methodology/approach The research model was tested with the data from 163 Instagram users based on online and offline surveys. The partial least squares method was used to test the proposed hypotheses of this study. Findings The results indicate that social influence affects users’ discontinuance behavior and social network fatigue. Social network fatigue is greater in users with higher reported social influence compared to those with a lower one. Moreover, in response to social network fatigue, users prefer to keep their activities under control instead of switching to alternative social network sites (SNSs) or a short break in social network activities. Practical implications By achieving a better understanding of users’ feeling and behaviors, social network providers may codify their strategies more efficiently. Originality/value The study is novel in exploring users’ SNS fatigue and their discontinuance behavior by integrating social influence and personality. The authors defined a new concept of effect of social influence on social network fatigue. Additionally, the authors examined which discontinuance behaviors in individuals were more prevalent.

scholarly journals Marketing Sports Products on Facebook: The Effect of Social Influence

2014 ◽  
Vol 61 (1) ◽  
pp. 65-73 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chew Swee Seng ◽  
Leng Ho Keat
Keyword(s):  
Social Network ◽  
Social Influence ◽  
Purchase Intention ◽  
Social Network Sites ◽  
Consumer Perception ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Additional Information ◽  
Perception Of Quality ◽  
Sports Shoes

Abstract There has been an increase in the use of social network sites as a marketing medium for commercial products and services. The aim of this paper is to examine the effectiveness of social network sites in influencing both consumer perception of quality of sports products and consumer intention to purchase sports products. A Facebook page of a fictitious brand of sports shoes was set up. The control group (n=57) was exposed to a page with only minimal information about sports shoes while the experimental group (n=59) was presented with additional information on the wall page consisting of ‘likes’ votes and positive comments about sports shoes. The findings suggest that online social influence not only can affect consumer perception of quality of a sports brand but also consumer buying intention. However, the effect that social influence has on purchase intention is limited to consumers with a low level of sports involvement and participation.

Venue Shopping, Political Strategy, and Policy Change: The Internationalization of Canadian Forest Advocacy

2003 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 233-260 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah B. Pralle
Keyword(s):  
Policy Reform ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Policy Learning ◽  
Political Strategy ◽  
Advocacy Groups ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Policy Problem ◽  
Policy Goals ◽  
Venue Shopping ◽  
Organizational Needs

A key component of any political strategy is finding a decision setting that offers the best prospects for reaching one's policy goals, an activity referred to as venue shopping. This article supports the theory of venue shopping as laid out in Baumgartner and Jones (1993), but presents a more complicated analysis of its practice than most empirical studies to date. First, venue shopping can be more experimental, and less deliberate or calculated, than is commonly perceived. Second, advocacy groups choose venues not only to advance substantive policy goals but also to serve organizational needs and identities. Finally, venue choice is shaped by policy learning. Advocacy groups choose venues not only for short-term strategic reasons, but also because they have embraced a new understanding of the nature of a policy problem. These factors shape the frequency of venue shopping and thus the pace of policy reform.

Indigenous participation in an informal national Indigenous health policy network

2011 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 309 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark J. Lock ◽  
David P. Thomas ◽  
Ian P. Anderson ◽  
Philippa Pattison
Keyword(s):  
Health Policy ◽  
Social Network ◽  
Indigenous People ◽  
Indigenous Health ◽  
National Policy ◽  
Policy Network ◽  
Informal Networks ◽  
Informal Network ◽  
Network Methods ◽  
Indigenous Participation

Objective. To determine and describe the features of Indigenous participation in an informal national Indigenous health policy network. Design. A questionnaire was administered during 2003–04. Through a snowball nomination process a total of 227 influential persons were identified. Of these, 173 received surveys of which 44 were returned, a return rate of 25%. Outcome measures. These data were analysed to detect the existence of network groups; measure the degree of group interconnectivity; and measure the characteristics of bonds between influential persons. Demographic information was used to characterise the network and its groups. Results. Indigenous people were integral to the network due to their high representation, their distribution throughout the 16 groups, and the interconnections between the groups. The network was demographically diverse and multiple relational variables were needed to characterise it. Indigenous and non-Indigenous people had strong ties in this network. Conclusion. Social network methods made visible an informal network where Indigenous and non-Indigenous people relate in a complex socio-political environment to influence national Indigenous health policy. What is known about the topic? The participation of Indigenous people is acknowledged as important in health, but there is criticism of the lack of real opportunities for Indigenous people to participate in national Indigenous health policy processes. What does this paper add? This research reveals the presence of an informal network of influential persons. It demonstrates a way to investigate the concept of participation through social network analytic techniques. It reveals that Indigenous people are fundamental to an informal network that influences national health policy processes. What are the implications for practitioners? Practitioners can become more aware of their place in informal networks of influence and of their capacity to exercise personal influence in national policy decisions based on advice drawn from their informal networks.

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