Social Contagion

Why Social Change Is Contagious

We witness many social changes over time — from changes in behavior such as the decline of smoking to shifts in people’s hearts and minds on issues like gay marriage. But how does social change spread?

Character & Context, Society for Personality and Social Psychology

Empathy Is the Secret Ingredient That Makes Cooperation — and Civilization — Possible

Where do the cooperative skills that hold together human societies come from and why don’t our selfish instincts overwhelm them? Evolutionary game theory suggests that empathy is a crucial contributor.

The Conversation

Dazzled by Creativity: Why We Excuse Dishonest Acts

As it turns out, we all have a tendency to view unethical behavior as less dishonest when it also is creative.

Scientific American