Social Mobility: It’s Who They Know
- A new study suggests that understanding the intricate web of social connections is the real key to social influence.
- Isabella Aslarus, from Stanford University, said having friends is beneficial, but understanding the broader social network is more important.
- the research team gauged influence by assessing how well-connected a student's friends where.
Understanding social networks, not just popularity, unlocks true social influence, a new study reveals. Researchers found that grasping the connections between individuals is crucial for wielding influence. this insight challenges the conventional wisdom that popularity alone drives influence, emphasizing the importance of knowing who’s connected to whom. The study, published in Science Advances, tracked students, revealing that early insights into social groups predict later influence. The study highlights that possessing early knowledge of network connections is key to becoming better-connected. At News Directory 3, we keep you informed. Discover what’s next in the evolving landscape of social dynamics.
Updated June 20, 2025
Forget popularity contests. A new study suggests that understanding the intricate web of social connections is the real key to social influence. Researchers examining first-year university students found that those who quickly grasped who was connected to whom wielded the moast influence,regardless of their popularity.
Isabella Aslarus, from Stanford University, said having friends is beneficial, but understanding the broader social network is more important. The study, published in Science Advances, tracked 187 students throughout their first year, mapping their friendships and influence at various points.
the research team gauged influence by assessing how well-connected a student’s friends where. Participants were also asked about friendships between other students.
while the number of friendships remained relatively stable,individual connections and influence shifted significantly. According to Dr. Oriel FeldmanHall, from Brown University, those who were initially influential often lost that status by year’s end. The social network tended to stabilize as the year progressed.
FeldmanHall noted that while the initial drivers of influence remain unclear, students who gained influence later possessed early insights into the social landscape.
“To become influential, you need to know who is friends with whom, and you need to have a bird’s eye view of how people cluster into different social groups or cliques,” said Aslarus.
Aslarus suggests that individuals can leverage this knowledge to build new relationships or act as “matchmakers,” further enhancing their influence. She added that a detailed understanding of individual friendships develops after establishing influence.
“Knowing about your network predicts becoming influential over time,more so than just having lots of friends,” she said. “So, social knowledge seems to be a key first step toward becoming better-connected in your network.”
what’s next
Future research could explore specific strategies for developing social network knowledge and how this knowledge translates into real-world influence beyond the university setting.