As the old saying goes, “We are the average of the five people we spend the most time with.” When it comes to relationships, we are greatly influenced by the people we spend the most time around. And while picking up small mannerisms from your friends or family might have minimal repercussions, their influence can also subconsciously dictate and sway major life decisions.
Studies show that the social norms of your close group of friends influences your personal decisions—whether or not they’re around you at the time. “We’ve evolved to live in a group to spread positive actions and to seek the approval of others,” said Christin Scholz of the University of Amsterdam to the BBC.
“There is good reason to believe that when we use normative behaviour it makes us feel good because we’re connecting with a social group,” added Suzanne Higgs of the University of Birmingham. “If you are with a new social group, you are more likely to imitate behaviours.”
However, Scholz also highlights that on the flip side, the need to connect can also be used to spread good. “The same way a negative behaviour can spread through a network of people a positive one can spread through a network,” Scholz said.