Understanding Social Contagion in Adoption Processes Using Dynamic Social Networks

Area of Science:

• Marketing Science
• Network Dynamics
• Consumer Behavior

Background:

• Existing diffusion models often assume static social interactions.
• Actors in social networks display varying susceptibility to influence over time.
• Limited understanding of how dynamic social interactions affect adoption processes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the role of social contagion in adoption processes using a dynamic model.
• To investigate the interplay of social and non-social influences on adoption.
• To account for changes in social dynamics over the diffusion period.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a Susceptible Infectious Susceptible (SIS) model rooted in physics and epidemiology.
• Analyzed ten years of detailed consumer community data.
• Incorporated dynamic social network analysis to track influence over time.

Main Results:

• Social contagion is a significant factor in diffusion processes.
• The relevance of social contagion diminishes when internal community social dynamics are considered.
• External non-social influences play a crucial role alongside social dynamics.

Conclusions:

• Dynamic social interactions within a community significantly moderate the impact of social contagion.
• Marketing strategies relying solely on word-of-mouth may overestimate effects if social dynamics are ignored.
• Managers and entrepreneurs should account for evolving social network structures in their campaigns.