Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Depressive Disorders: Etiology01:27

Depressive Disorders: Etiology

Depressive disorders result from a complex interplay of biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors, each contributing uniquely to the development and persistence of the condition. Understanding these factors provides critical insight into the multifaceted nature of depression.
Biological Factors in Depression
Biological predispositions significantly influence the risk of developing depressive disorders. Genetic studies highlight the role of variations in the serotonin transporter...
Social Relationships and Well-Being01:30

Social Relationships and Well-Being

The significance of social relationships in psychological well-being is a well-established area of inquiry within social psychology. Research consistently demonstrates that the presence of meaningful, supportive relationships enhances emotional health, while the absence or deterioration of such connections can contribute to psychological distress. Relationships serve as a foundation for emotional support, identity, and social belonging, all of which are critical to an individual’s overall...
Depression: Overview01:18

Depression: Overview

Depression is a prevalent mental illness marked by persistent sadness and lack of interest in previously enjoyable activities. It can take several forms, including major depression, persistent depressive disorder, and bipolar I and II disorders. Symptoms range from emotional changes like chronic worry to physical changes like sleep disturbances and suicidal thoughts. From a neurobiological perspective, depression is believed to be triggered by abnormalities in the brain's prefrontal cortex,...
Importance of Need for Affiliation01:25

Importance of Need for Affiliation

The need for affiliation is a fundamental human motive that drives individuals to form and maintain interpersonal relationships. This universal drive varies in intensity among individuals due to genetic predispositions and life experiences, shaping it into a relatively stable personality trait. Social inclusion enhances emotional well-being by fulfilling the need for affiliation, whereas social exclusion leads to distress, negative emotions, and cognitive impairments.Psychological and Emotional...
Depressive Disorders: MDD and Dysthymia01:27

Depressive Disorders: MDD and Dysthymia

Depressive disorders are a group of mental health conditions characterized by pervasive feelings of sadness, diminished pleasure in life, and a significant impact on daily functioning. These conditions are most prevalent in individuals during their 30s and affect women at twice the rate of men. Contrary to popular belief, younger individuals are generally more susceptible to these disorders than older adults. Two key types of depressive disorders include Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and...
Social Anxiety Disorder01:28

Social Anxiety Disorder

Social anxiety disorder, also known as social phobia, is characterized by an intense fear of social situations where one might face humiliation, rejection, embarrassment, or negative evaluation. This disorder leads individuals to avoid activities like casual conversations, public speaking, or seemingly simple tasks such as eating, signing documents, or swimming, in public settings. Its impact extends beyond discomfort, often significantly interfering with daily functioning and quality of life.

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Assessing post-stroke cognition in pre-clinical models: lessons and recommendations from a multi-center study.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2025
Same author

Relationships between depression, gender, and unhealthy weight loss practices among overweight or obese college students.

Eating behaviors·2014
Same author

Design and implementation of a randomized controlled social and mobile weight loss trial for young adults (project SMART).

Contemporary clinical trials·2013
Same author

Cancer metastasis networks and the prediction of progression patterns.

British journal of cancer·2009
Same author

Extent and determinants of error in physicians' prognoses in terminally ill patients: prospective cohort study.

The Western journal of medicine·2008
Same author

Estimating peer effects on health in social networks: a response to Cohen-Cole and Fletcher; and Trogdon, Nonnemaker, and Pais.

Journal of health economics·2008

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 15, 2026

A New Method for Inducing a Depression-Like Behavior in Rats
07:57

A New Method for Inducing a Depression-Like Behavior in Rats

Published on: February 22, 2018

Social network determinants of depression.

J N Rosenquist1, J H Fowler, N A Christakis

  • 1Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA. jrosenqu@gmail.com

Molecular Psychiatry
|March 17, 2010
PubMed
Summary

Depression can spread through social networks, affecting friends and neighbors up to three degrees of separation. This study highlights the contagious nature of depressive symptoms within social connections.

Area of Science:

  • Social epidemiology
  • Network science
  • Psychiatry

Background:

  • Depression etiology is complex, with social factors playing a significant role.
  • Previous research has not fully explored person-to-person transmission of depressive symptoms within social networks.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To quantitatively investigate the potential for person-to-person spread of depressive symptoms.
  • To examine network-level determination of depressive symptoms using longitudinal data.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of a large, interconnected social network (12,067 individuals) from the Framingham Heart Study over 32 years.
  • Application of longitudinal statistical models to assess associations between depressive symptoms in individuals and their social contacts.
  • Utilized Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) scores from three measurement waves (1983-2001).

More Related Videos

Integrating Computerized Linguistic and Social Network Analyses to Capture Addiction Recovery Capital in an Online Community
08:53

Integrating Computerized Linguistic and Social Network Analyses to Capture Addiction Recovery Capital in an Online Community

Published on: May 31, 2019

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 15, 2026

A New Method for Inducing a Depression-Like Behavior in Rats
07:57

A New Method for Inducing a Depression-Like Behavior in Rats

Published on: February 22, 2018

Integrating Computerized Linguistic and Social Network Analyses to Capture Addiction Recovery Capital in an Online Community
08:53

Integrating Computerized Linguistic and Social Network Analyses to Capture Addiction Recovery Capital in an Online Community

Published on: May 31, 2019

Main Results:

  • Strong correlations found between an individual's depressive symptoms (low or high CES-D scores) and those of their friends and neighbors.
  • This association extended up to three degrees of social separation.
  • Female friends demonstrated a particularly strong influence on the spread of depression.

Conclusions:

  • Network phenomena are relevant to the epidemiology of depression.
  • Depressive symptoms exhibit contagious properties within social networks.
  • Further research into social network influences on depression is warranted.