Like it or not, Facebook and friends can be used to influence
health behavior USC public health researcher examines social
networks and how they can be used to stimulate change (Press-
News.org) Most people call it the "art" of persuasion, but
public health researchers at the University of Southern
California (USC) are trying to pinpoint the "science" behind
social influence. They hope a better understanding of human
interactions — both face-to-face and online — can help prevent
disease and promote general health. Whether the goal is to curb
smoking at a local school or to reduce the spread of sexually
transmitted diseases within a community, it is important to
understand the social structure of the group and the dynamics of
influence at play, says Thomas W. Valente, Ph.D., professor of
preventive medicine at the Keck School of Medicine of USC. "If I
want to go into a high school and change physical activity or
other obesity behaviors, I have to understand there are cliques
and subgroups of students that exhib