title: The group-contagion effect: the influence of spatial groupings on perceived contagion and preferences.
abstract: We used contagion theory as a framework for studying the influence of spread of qualities in a group. We found that people's preferences change depending on how objects are arranged in a group. They prefer to choose from a closely arranged group if one unidentified object in that group has a positive quality, but prefer to choose from a group in which objects are farther apart if one unidentified object in that group has a negative quality. We call this pattern of preference the group-contagion effect. We also found that the magnitude of the effect increases if the number of objects possessing the positive or negative quality increases.
authors.affiliation: David Eccles School of Business, University of Utah, 1645 E. Campus Center Dr., Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA. arul.mishra@utah.edu
authors.forename: Arul
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mishra
authors.forename: Himanshu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mishra
authors.forename: Dhananjay
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nayakankuppam
mesh_terms: D002755:Choice Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007600:Judgment / Q000502:physiology; D010465:Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D011582:Psychological Theory; D013028:Space Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D013037:Spatial Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology; D013404:Suggestion