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Damon Centola: Why Change Spreads from the Edges—Not the Influencers

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Manage episode 514712654 series 1745677
Content provided by Srinivas Rao. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Srinivas Rao or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://podcastplayer.com/legal.
Damon Centola, sociologist and author of *Change: How to Make Big Things Happen*, dismantles the myth of the influencer and introduces a radically different model of how ideas and behaviors actually spread. In this thought-provoking conversation, Centola explains why change doesn’t come from social media stars with massive followings—but from dense clusters in the network periphery. He explores how weak ties, wide bridges, and network dynamics shape everything from viral movements like Black Lives Matter to behavioral shifts like installing solar panels or quitting smoking. Drawing from decades of experimental research, Centola reveals that most people misjudge what causes change—believing it’s money, recognition, or messaging—when it’s actually subtle cues from peers. He shares how “complex contagions” require reinforcement from trusted networks, not mass exposure, and why virality alone fails to produce lasting impact. Whether you're a founder, activist, or creator, this episode will challenge how you think about social influence, innovation, and what truly drives societal tipping points.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  continue reading

1693 episodes

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iconShare
 
Manage episode 514712654 series 1745677
Content provided by Srinivas Rao. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Srinivas Rao or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://podcastplayer.com/legal.
Damon Centola, sociologist and author of *Change: How to Make Big Things Happen*, dismantles the myth of the influencer and introduces a radically different model of how ideas and behaviors actually spread. In this thought-provoking conversation, Centola explains why change doesn’t come from social media stars with massive followings—but from dense clusters in the network periphery. He explores how weak ties, wide bridges, and network dynamics shape everything from viral movements like Black Lives Matter to behavioral shifts like installing solar panels or quitting smoking. Drawing from decades of experimental research, Centola reveals that most people misjudge what causes change—believing it’s money, recognition, or messaging—when it’s actually subtle cues from peers. He shares how “complex contagions” require reinforcement from trusted networks, not mass exposure, and why virality alone fails to produce lasting impact. Whether you're a founder, activist, or creator, this episode will challenge how you think about social influence, innovation, and what truly drives societal tipping points.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  continue reading

1693 episodes

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