Time Scales of Social Influence: Evidence from American College Students

• In Event: That's Just, like, Your Opinion

Abstract

Scholars of American public opinion have long been interested in the effect of social influence on political attitudes. However, one challenge in studying social influence is a lack of understanding of the time scales over which this influence operates. How quickly should we expect peer influence to change one's attitude toward a presidential candidate versus their party identification? College provides an ideal test of social influence mechanisms, as students experience abrupt changes in their individual social networks. We present evidence, drawing on longitudinal network data from dormitories at 14 American universities, of the differential time scales of social influence for a suite of attitudinal variables. To address concerns about the confounding effect of homophily, we estimate models of network formation; the results of these tests suggest minimal effects of homophily. This work provides a foundation for scholars hoping to compare the effects of social influence to other factors, such as elite discourse.

Authors

• Stefan McCabe, Northeastern University

• David Lazer, Northeastern University

• William Minozzi, Ohio State University

• Michael Neblo, Ohio State University

• Brian Rubineau, Cornell University