Social contagion occurs. 3 historical examples.

The Transgender Debate and Social Contagion

The debate over transgender treatments for minors continues to rage on, with supporters claiming that social contagion is not to blame for the rise in trans-identifying teenagers, while opponents insist that it is. But what exactly is social contagion, and how does it work?

A Brief History of Social Contagion

Social contagion is not a new concept – it dates back to Plato and was introduced as a term by Gustave Le Bon in 1895. However, a clear definition of the phenomenon is still up for debate. The most widely accepted premise is that social contagion occurs when ideas, emotions, or behaviors are transmitted from one person to another without any direct intent to influence. Examples of social contagion include yawning and the panic that would break out if someone yelled “fire” in a crowded room.

Multiple studies have shown that children and teenagers are more likely to identify as transgender once their peers do. However, some have disputed this phenomenon, pointing to a decrease in teens identifying as trans in certain states as proof that social contagion isn’t to blame. But as The Daily Wire reported, a decrease in smallpox infections doesn’t mean the disease isn’t contagious.

Historical Examples of Social Contagion

Here are some historical examples of social contagion that illustrate how easy it is for people to become “infected.”

• The Sorrows of Young Werther Suicides: After the publication of Johann Wolfgang Goethe’s novel “The Sorrows of Young Werther” in 1774, men of the time began dressing like the titular character and committing suicide in a similar manner. The novel and the Werther clothing style were banned in several countries.
• The Dancing Plagues of the 14th and 16th Centuries: In 1374, groups of people broke out into uncontrollable dance fits, while a similar plague struck France in 1518. It is unclear if anything other than social contagion caused these outbreaks.
• Recovered Memories: In the 1980s and ’90s, recovered memory therapy was used to uncover repressed memories of abuse that had allegedly been locked away in a person’s subconscious. This therapy technique was used in conjunction with the ‘Satanic Panic,’ where young children made wildly unrealistic allegations of sexual abuse and human and animal sacrifice perpetrated by daycare officials. Many people went to jail based on false allegations.

It’s not always a major historical moment that serves as an example of social contagion. Something as simple as laughing more at a movie in a theater because you’re surrounded by other people can be a form of social contagion. Likewise, the Rubik’s Cube craze of the 1970s could be seen as a form of social contagion.

The Good, the Bad, and the Neutral

Social contagion can be good, bad, or neutral. Good examples include picking up litter because you see someone else cleaning up a park, while bad examples include a peaceful protest becoming violent. Psychology Today also points out that speeding on the highway because others are doing it is a form of social contagion, specifically known as rule violation contagion. Consumer behavior contagions are another form that involves buying crazes, such as the over-buying of toilet paper at the beginning of the COVID pandemic and the Beanie Baby craze of the 1990s.

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