Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Social Structure as Independent Variable

Social networks in the news -- and being written about by an evolutionary biologist....

November 10, 2009
Social Medicine 
Olivia Judson
[O]ne day, perhaps we’ll have public health campaigns of a different kind. “Be jolly: it’s catching.” Or, “Eat less: do it for your friends.”

Why? Because “traditional” infectious diseases — those, like flu and tuberculosis, that are caused by viruses or bacteria — are not the only aspects of health that can spread from one person to another. Taking up smoking is contagious; so is quitting. Obesity is contagious. So is happiness. [Read more...]

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