Wednesday, April 10, 2013

The Power of Habit [Chapter 8]

Haley Scholars Spring 2013 Reading Groups

By Danielle Hall

In chapter 8 of The Power of Habit, Charles Duhigg discusses the significance of transcending social boundaries and the influence of social habits when individuals begin to see themselves “as part of a vast social enterprise” (242). Using examples such as Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott-- at the onset of the Civil Rights Movement-- and the rapid growth and success of Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church ministries in California, Duhigg makes some useful connections as to how “business gets done and communities self-organize” (225).

More notably, Duhigg emphasizes the importance of having weak and strong ties in helping shape the habits of social patterns in both examples. With this in mind, he describes this type of group conformity and communal expectation as peer pressure or habits of peer pressure (225). Put differently, the impact of a single incident is more likely to gain momentum when there are a series of isolated events among community members and leaders that create or forge “social habits of friendship” and “strong ties between close acquaintances” when there are “habits of a community” and when participants have a “sense of identity and a feeling of ownership” within a movement (217).

Based on the reading, which ideas – i.e. the impact of strong and weak ties, social habits and patterns within communities, or individuals seeing themselves from a collective standpoint -- drew your attention most? Why? 

4 comments:

Shakita H. said...

Social habits and patterns within communities drew my attention because Duhigg talks about how this can lead to strong ties and this made me think about everyday life. How people come together because of similarities and because they share the same interest in things and so they establish a strong bond. This relationshp then grows and the habits and patterns hold people together.I believe that things like this can bring together a community and having a strong community or support system is important in life and can it can help bring about life changing events. For if people work together change can occur like the example Duhigg gave with Rosa Parks.

Hilary Conrad said...

The idea of strong and weak ties caught my attention the most. It was interesting to me that part of the reason people decided to continue with or stay home from the "Mississippi Summer Project" was due to their social groups and habits. It was interesting to see which groups stayed and which groups went

Jasmine said...

The social habits and patterns within communities drew my attention the most. This is because it relates heavily to personal experiences. It highlights how much the community you live in and the people you choose to surround yourself with can effect you.

It also can make a person wonder how different would they be if they hadn't grown up in a certain city, or if they hadn't had a friendship with a certain individual.

Jessica L.W. said...

The social habits and pattern within communities drew my attention the most because I can relate to the idea because of my own personal experiences. I believe that movements are started and habits are formed as a result of the community in which a person lives in. If people from a community come together and cooperate with one another changes can happen. When people from a community come together to make changes it has the potential too not only have a positive effect on their community but it can also establish a strong bond between members of the community.