Three Degrees of Influence

Most of us have heard of “six degrees of separation” which refers to the idea that everyone is, on average, approximately six relationships away from any other person on earth.  This means I can make a chain of, "a friend of a friend" statements that connects me with any person in this world in six steps or fewer. This theory was originally set out by Frigyes Karinthy and popularized by a play written by John Guare.

Not so well-known is the theory of “three degrees of influence” by Nicholas A. Christakis, MD, PhD and James H. Fowler, PhD. (See their book, Connected.) According to this theory, "Everything we do or say tends to ripple through our network, having an impact on our friends (one degree), our friends’ friends (two degrees), and even our friends’ friends’ friends (three degrees). Our influence gradually dissipates and ceases to have a noticeable effect on people beyond the social frontier that lies at three degrees of separation".  This means, if I am happy, my friends are more likely to be happy and my friends’ friends are more likely to be happy and my friends’ friends’ friends are also more likely to be happy.  If I am suicidal, my friends’ friends’ friends are more likely to be suicidal.  Whether we know it or not, our network of friendships can spread goodness and blessing, or destructiveness and curse. 

An inspiring sermon and worship at a church with 100 participants can have the potential of reaching (if each people in the network has at least 5 friends) 500 people in the first degree of influence, 2,500 people in the second degrees and 12,500 people in the third degrees.  In a small town of under 10,000 people, this means what happens in worship for a small church can have the potential to influence almost everybody in the community.

We have a great responsibility then, for the networks of which we are a part.  We have a choice to use our networks to control or empower, to spread fear or build trust, to propagate hate or share love, to break down community or build it up.

For Christians, Jesus called his followers friends and invited them to abide in him and his love so that they might bear fruit.  The responsibility of Christians, one of the largest faith networks in the world, is to stay connected with Jesus, who in turn, stays connected with God’s unconditional love for all.  Christians are called to spread this love through our networks, which is what it means to bear fruit that will last.

Invite members of your community to gather and explore their network of relationships: Invite participants to write down the name of 5 people they consider friends. Invite them to recall the last few connections they have made with these friends and write what was being exchanged—information, feelings, gifts, advice, money, idea, creativity, service, etc. Explain to participants the theory of 3 degrees of influence and then invite participants to ponder the implications of their last encounters with their 5 friends. Form small groups and invite participants to share their reflections with each other. As a large group, close the dialogue time by inviting participants to reflect and share:  As result of this dialogue, what am I called to do?

Reflection Questions for 6th Sunday of Easter (Year B) Acts 10:44-48    What did you learn from this passage about expanding your network? Psalm 98   What is your reason to shout with joy to God? 1 John 5:1-6   What does it mean to be born of God? John 15:9-17   How does it mean to abide in Jesus’ love?

Eric H. F. Law
Kaleidoscope Institute
For competent leadership in a diverse changing world
www.kscopeinstitute.org

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