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The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference Paperback – January 7, 2002
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Uncover the captivating science behind viral trends in business, marketing, and human behavior in the breakthrough debut — named one of the best books of the decade by The A.V. Club and The Guardian — by Malcolm Gladwell, the bestselling author of The Bomber Mafia.
The tipping point is that magic moment when an idea, trend, or social behavior crosses a threshold, tips, and spreads like wildfire. Just as a single sick person can start an epidemic of the flu, so too can a small but precisely targeted push cause a fashion trend, the popularity of a new product, or a drop in the crime rate. This widely acclaimed bestseller, in which Malcolm Gladwell explores and brilliantly illuminates the tipping point phenomenon, is already changing the way people throughout the world think about selling products and disseminating ideas.
“A wonderful page-turner about a fascinating idea that should affect the way every thinking person looks at the world.” —Michael Lewis
- Print length301 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherBack Bay Books
- Publication dateJanuary 7, 2002
- Dimensions5.5 x 1 x 8.5 inches
- ISBN-100316346624
- ISBN-13978-0316346627
- Lexile measure1160L
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Editorial Reviews
Review
“Gladwell has a knack for rendering complex theories in clear, elegant prose, and he makes a charismatic tour guide.”―San Francisco Chronicle
“A wonderful page-turner about a fascinating idea that should affect the way every thinking person looks at the world.”―Michael Lewis
“Undeniably compelling. . . terrifically rewarding.”―Claire Dederer, Seattle Times
“As a business how-to, The Tipping Point is truly superior, brimming with new theories on the science of manipulation.”―Aaron Gell, Time Out
About the Author
Product details
- Publisher : Back Bay Books
- Publication date : January 7, 2002
- Language : English
- Print length : 301 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0316346624
- ISBN-13 : 978-0316346627
- Item Weight : 10.4 ounces
- Dimensions : 5.5 x 1 x 8.5 inches
- Lexile measure : 1160L
- Best Sellers Rank: #4,196 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author

Malcolm Gladwell has been a staff writer at The New Yorker since 1996. He is the author of The Tipping Point, Blink, Outliers, and What the Dog Saw. Prior to joining The New Yorker, he was a reporter at the Washington Post. Gladwell was born in England and grew up in rural Ontario. He now lives in New York.
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Customers find the book well-written with remarkably clear prose and appreciate its thought-provoking examples of events. Moreover, the style and content hold their interest, and customers consider it a great value. However, customers disagree on the book's thought-provoking nature, with some finding it enlightening while others find it not very enlightening. Additionally, the book's complexity receives mixed reactions, with some finding it challenging while others note it has too much detail.
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Customers find the book easy to read, with remarkably clear prose, and one customer notes it is well-written in first person narrative.
"...order for an idea to be memorable, it must meet these requirements: simplicity, it must be a concrete idea, it must be unexpected, emotional, and..." Read more
"...People can make a difference one action at a time. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book...." Read more
"...Gladwell has a history of a very solid career working for the New Yorker, The Washington Post and many of his books have gained national attention..." Read more
"The Tipping Point is one of the best books I’ve ever read...." Read more
Customers find the book insightful, describing it as a provoking book of ideas and concepts that provides thought-provoking examples of events, with one customer noting its delightful application of fascinating social psychological evidence.
"...definitely give The Tipping Point a read because it contains extremely valuable information, in the three concepts of trend setting, which can be..." Read more
"...in the beginning seem small, the result of these changes can be strong and measurable...." Read more
"...This book is thought provoking and will help you see things in a different and meaningful way. Give this book a read, you won’t be disappointed." Read more
"...It's more about suggestions and musings about why things happen. These are anecdotal stories which happen to fit his theories...." Read more
Customers find the book credible, with some noting it aligns with common sense, and one customer highlighting its intellectually counterintuitive points.
"...book as it delves into individual behaviors, personalities, and different theories...." Read more
"...Gladwell's methods in delineating his theory, I think it's pretty believable nonetheless, and if not, at least its fascinating to read about!..." Read more
"...I enjoyed the numerous statistical backing for his claims, and also that there was a method to his endless list of examples...." Read more
"...Tipping Point is a book worth reading and the points it makes are intellectually counter intuitive and yet, supported by evidence...." Read more
Customers appreciate the book's style, noting its beautiful presentation and accurate illustrations, with one customer highlighting how the concepts are brilliantly illustrated.
"...plastic tabs to denote points of serious interest and a good bit of underlining...." Read more
"...The case studies and examples given are interesting and well-presented...." Read more
"...The illustrations were varied enough to keep us interested...." Read more
"...This book gives a close look at a few different well known companies on their startup to stardom and also gives a good portion of the information..." Read more
Customers find the book interesting, with one customer noting how the author vividly explains how tipping points occur and uses stories to illustrate concepts.
"...All in all, The Tipping Point is a must read because it shows so much light on how things spread, or gain popularity...." Read more
"...Overall I really enjoyed this read. The Tipping Point has many examples and good points that can be applied practically...." Read more
"...The Tipping Point is a quick read, and a must for anyone with a business, marketing, or management background...." Read more
"The idea is to inform us about tipping points. No question that they exist in nature. The freezing point of water, for instance...." Read more
Customers find the book to be a great value, with one mentioning it saved them money.
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"...Low price on kindle (about $5) Must buy" Read more
"The same book as a new one but saved a lot of money compared to anew one and the book is in fine shape saves on college supplys" Read more
"...In this book, I see little real value or application in future decision making or quantitative analysis...." Read more
Customers have mixed opinions about the book's interest, with some finding it thought-provoking and amusing, while others find it not very enlightening and boring to read.
"...products, messages and behaviors "spread just like viruses do" is interesting, educational, and should be used everyday in the business world...." Read more
"...It's not as fascinating or entertaining, but it has interesting ideas. There is not much science...." Read more
"This book is an interesting and easy read...." Read more
"...Interesting and useful. A classic...." Read more
Customers have mixed reactions to the book's complexity, with some finding it challenging and having too much detail, while others appreciate how it challenges conventional thinking and makes sense of difficult concepts.
"...he made a cohesive book out of them, but, rather, threw together a bunch of separate ideas and tried to make up a theme..." Read more
"...and mechanics of social epidemics, if you will -- and made it both accessible and easy-to-understand for laymen like myself...." Read more
"...employing random and, at times, disjointed examples with wildly creative comparisons, Gladwell amuses the reader interested in an entertaining..." Read more
"...ideas in remarkably clear prose, which is made further accessible by his repeated, timely restatements of his arguments to that point...." Read more
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- Reviewed in the United States on April 25, 2014Format: PaperbackVerified PurchaseI have recently completed the book, The Tipping Point, by Malcolm Gladwell, and found it to be extremely informative. The Tipping Point is about how ideas can be transformed into trends, which can then spread like wildfire, becoming extremely popular. This process is not limited to ideas though, diseases, and even a company’s products can spread in all the same way. Gladwell uses multiple examples to explain how these trends spread, but they all connect back to three central concepts. These concepts are three things that every trend must have in order to spread: The law of the few, a stickiness factor, and the power of context. Gladwell uses these three concepts to show a large audience how he finds trends to expand. This audience includes most of the public, but also any marketers who are looking to enhance sales or the popularity of their products. These concepts can be applied to a great number of things, but can be especially useful in a marketing setting if one would want to increase sales.
The first concept Gladwell discusses is the law of the few. This concept states that there are a few people who will push an idea until it gains a lot of popularity. These people can be broken up into three categories: connectors, mavens, and salesmen. Connectors are people that have many social connections, and can create relationships, deals, and connections that may have otherwise not occurred. Mavens are the people who feel passionately about the trend that is expanding, and help to sell its ideas to others over other choices. Mavens give information to other consumers that help them to make well-versed decisions. Last, salesmen are the people who have unusual charm and charisma, who are able to persuade other people’s buying decisions.
The first example that Gladwell uses is the spread of syphilis in the streets of Baltimore. He applies his the law of few concept to this scenario by pointing out that there are many people in the city who fit his model of connector, maven, or salesmen; who helped to contribute to the spread of the disease. One of these people is “Darnell ‘Boss Man’ McGee. He was big- over six feet- and charming, a talented skater, who wowed young girls with his exploits on the rink,” (20). His charming personality easily allowed him to persuade girls to do what he wanted, which is a perfect fit for Gladwell’s law of the few. McGee is an easy fit for Gladwell’s salesmen concept, because he is able to easily convince and persuade people to make decisions. There is truth to Gladwell’s concepts, because McGee was a huge instigator in the spread of syphilis, and he fits Gladwell’s mold of the salesmen so perfectly there can be no denying his involvement in the advancement of the disease.
The next key concept that Gladwell introduces is his idea of the stickiness factor. This concept states that a trend cannot become popular unless it is memorable and sticks to the minds of those who encounter it. This concept usually cannot be applied to the spread of diseases, but is crucial to other kinds of trends such as a business selling a product. The stickiness factor is simple, but essential to a trend’s success, if something is not memorable, then it cannot become a popular idea or product. Gladwell uses examples from television in order to explain the uses and importance of the stickiness factor. He talks about Joan Ganz Cooney’s, “show… that was contagious enough it could serve as an educational Tipping Point: giving children from disadvantaged homes a leg up once they began elementary school… lingering long enough to have an impact well after the children stopped watching the show,” (89). Cooney’s plan would later turn into Sesame Street which not only achieved this goal, but received great popularity and praise for doing so as well. Sesame Street won such praise for meeting this goal because teaching is usually done to target a child’s strengths and weaknesses, which is extremely difficult to do through television because there is a set script that cannot be changed and must effectively teach all the children that may be watching. The show’s founders discovered ways to still successfully deliver educational messages to children, which are still efficient today. These techniques are what give the show its stickiness factor, proof that a stickiness factor will help something gain immense popularity.
Gladwell’s final concept he discusses is the power of context. The power of context is an interesting concept that has largely to do with human nature. Gladwell’s definition of the power of context is that human nature is heavily influenced by its environment; the environment being not just a physical location, but the actual situational surroundings and social settings of a group of people as well. In his exact words, Gladwell says, “Epidemics are sensitive to the conditions and circumstances of the times and places in which they occur,” (139). In order to justify this concept, Gladwell used the declining crime rate in New York City during the 1990s. In this example, Gladwell states that the decline in crime in New York was due to a lot of factors, but mostly argues that the change in environment was the largest contributing factor. 1990s New York was a time that the broken window theory was introduced, which stated that many neighborhoods were becoming tremendously conscious of their own quality of living and would not allow even small signs of deterioration to occur; even a broken window. This made numerous New York neighborhoods a lot nicer, and safer, reducing the sale and use of crack cocaine, and violent crimes.
Gladwell’s concepts to hold strong truth in the world that we live in. There is no denying the fact that trends exist, and that they receive enormous popularity, and Gladwell’s concepts finally give us a sense of how this occurs. The law of the few, the stickiness factor, and the power of context all have clear implications on how trends spread, and they are all backed up in Gladwell’s historical research. The examples Gladwell provides are exemplary when it comes to arguing his points because they show all sorts of trends in history that blew up because of all his theories. The example I found to be particularly strong was the stickiness factor of Sesame Street. Sesame Street is one of the most popular children’s television shows and now there is a solid explanation as to why this is true. Gladwell was smart to use this example because it is relatable to a large number of people, which makes it easy for a large audience to quickly grasp and understand his concept that is the stickiness factor. This example is, in its own way, the novel’s own stickiness factor.
The concepts discussed in The Tipping Point are closely related to another book, which is entitled Made to Stick, written by Chip Heath and Dan Heath. Made to Stick builds off of The Tipping Point’s concept of the stickiness factor, examining what makes ideas memorable. It states that in order for an idea to be memorable, it must meet these requirements: simplicity, it must be a concrete idea, it must be unexpected, emotional, and have stories behind it (Heath). Since this book even exists, it is a statement to how well written and truthful The Tipping Point actually is. Other authors want to explore the concepts that Gladwell created, showing his success in dissecting how trends are set.
I found Gladwell to achieve his goals very efficiently throughout the novel. He clearly shows his audience how his concepts create trends, and provides explicit examples of historic trends that prove his concepts to be true. For example, Gladwell used the spread of syphilis as his topic, applied a concept to it; the law of the few; and showed an example of it. In that case, he showed his audience the exploits of Darnell “Boss Man” McGee, a flawless example for the law of the few.
All in all, The Tipping Point is a must read because it shows so much light on how things spread, or gain popularity. Whether the reader is a doctor, trend setter, or even a chief marketing officer of a firm, there is valuable information for just about everyone. Even casual readers should take joy in learning about the causes of trend setting and maybe even find ways to apply it to their lives. Anyone involved in marketing should definitely give The Tipping Point a read because it contains extremely valuable information, in the three concepts of trend setting, which can be used to market any product.
- Reviewed in the United States on March 26, 2012Format: PaperbackVerified PurchaseMalcolm Gladwell, the author of The Tipping Point, takes the reader through a myriad of colorful stories to help the reader understand how communication, whether verbal or non-verbal are key contributors to effecting a change. Gladwell compares the way "changes occur" to an epidemic or virus that is spread throughout an area. He discusses how these changes start with only a few people at the helm of the change. These few people have the ability and qualities to make these changes happen. While the changes in the beginning seem small, the result of these changes can be strong and measurable. One example Gladwell uses is how around the mid 1990's the crime rate in New York City had decreased dramatically. While many had their own supposition as to why this occurred, Gladwell looks at the obvious and the not so obvious for answers. Gladwell reviews how many experts had expressed individual theories as to why the crime level had declined. These theories ranged from drug traffickers reduced in the area to an actual mass exodus of criminals out of the New York City area. Gladwell looks at these changes from an entirely different perspective. He reviews how small changes and groups of people can have an overwhelming effect on changing something.
Gladwell mentions that these small groups can be categorized into three areas: connectors, mavens and salesmen. To provide the reader some insight into these three groups Gladwell effectively uses both stories and definitions to assist the reader in recognizing the different groups. The first group referred to as the Connectors is someone who appears to know everyone. Reading Gladwell's description, this author had several friends who immediately came to mind. One might even joke that this person could be mayor of the area as they seem to have a connection to everyone. Gladwell even makes reference to the game of six degrees of separation where people try to name a movie and actors that links back to Kevin Bacon in less than six links. Gladwell makes reference to the famous ride of Paul Revere and how Paul was a connector. While his ride did not cover vast territory, he did connect with those he was telling and had the ability to pass the pertinent information along to the rest of the townspeople.
The second group of people would be called Mavens. Mavens are those people who seem to know anything and everything. These are people that you know who consume knowledge at an expediential rate of speed. The maven's motivation is to be helpful to those around them. Maven's gather knowledge and then want to share it. An example of this is the story Gladwell mentions about Mark Alpert. Mark was someone who had a never ending thirst for knowledge. He actually contacted Consumer Reports on two separate instances to notify them of misguided information related to two different vehicles. In true Maven form, Mark had acquired enough knowledge about these vehicles to identify what was not accurate with the report and wanted to know sure Consumer Reports set the story straight.
The last group of people would be the salesmen. Salesmen are categorized as such based on what most people believe salesmen do which is talking prospective customers into buying something. The salesmen are considered to be very persuasive with what they are trying to get one to understand or buy. When being described as persuasive it is more of an objective observation as it is difficult to pinpoint exactly what makes someone persuasive. When one is being persuasive many assume that this is done relying solely on verbal communication, when in reality, it truly has just as much to do with the non-verbal cues that someone is receiving. These three categories in conjunction with the concept of stickiness which is having the ability to take concepts and turn them into actions are what Gladwell identifies as key contributors to why change happens in society, both large and small.
Reading this book reminded me of a movie once viewed called "Pay It Forward". The premise of the movie is that a young boy wants to change the world and make it a better place. He embraces a school project and uses this platform to see if one person can ultimately make a change in the world, for the better. During the movie, the boy is supported by both his mother and his school teacher. These two people along with the assistance of a reporter begin to pass the word of what the mission this boy has placed on himself and anyone he comes in contact with. The boy decides that if he can do someone nice for someone and instead of that person feeling indebted to him, he asked them to pass that kindness forward in order to push the momentum of this good deed further into the community. I identify with all of the main characters in this movie even more after reading The Tipping Point. The premise of this movie proves Gladwell's point that change does not have to be accepted by the masses but one person at a time. Gladwell mentions that eighty percent of most work done in organizations is completed by only twenty percent of the population. People can make a difference one action at a time. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. While digesting what Gladwell was trying to say in the book, I was continually reminded of the previously mentioned movie. I feel that with the combination of knowledge that Gladwell gives to his readers and the willingness of the readers to make a change, the world could be a better place.
Top reviews from other countries
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CamillaReviewed in Italy on July 26, 2012
5.0 out of 5 stars Diffondere un'idea, un prodotto, un comportameno - Istruzioni per l'uso
Nel 1994 le scarpe scamosciate Hush Puppies sembravano destinate a scomparire dal mercato statunitense, con appena 30.000 paia vendute all'anno. Nel 1996, però, le vendite erano quadruplicate ed il presidente della casa produttrice ritirò il premio 'Fashion Accessory of the Year', dichiarando che le strategie di marketing della sua compagnia non avevano nulla a che fare con l'improvviso successo dei mocassini, ma che la moda era stata scatenata da un gruppo di ragazzi dell'East Village e di Soho che avevano iniziato ad indossarli.
E'' a partire dall'esempio dell'inaspettata popolarità delle Hush
Puppies che il giornalista newyorchese Malcom Gladwell sviluppa l'intuizione che i fenomeni sociali (dalla trasformazione di libri sconosciuti in bestseller all'aumento del fumo tra gli adolescenti) seguono modelli di trasmissione epidemici: allo stesso modo dei virus, idee, mode e comportamenti si diffondono grazie al contagio del "passaparola", fino a raggiungere il punto critico, una soglia oltre la quale ottengono un effetto a valanga.
In particolare, secondo la cosiddetta 'legge dei pochi', il successo di un''idea o di un prodotto dipende dal coinvolgimento di persone che dispongono di qualità sociali estremamente particolari e rare. Primi, i Connettori, ovvero persone curiose, eclettiche ed dinamiche, che possiedono una naturale tendenza alla socializzazione. La loro rete di amici e conoscenti è vasta e si estende nei contesti sociali più vari. Per questo, i connettori agiscono come una cerniera di trasmissione tra mondi eterogenei, dando origine a contaminazioni di idee dagli effetti dirompenti. In secondo luogo, gli Esperti, che hanno un''innata predisposizione a raccogliere grandi quantità di informazioni, effettuano accurati controlli sui beni e sui servizi presenti sul mercato, ed amano condividere le conclusioni a cui giungono con gli altri consumatori. Infine, i Venditori, persone estremamente carismatiche e, di conseguenza, eccezionalmente efficaci nell''influenzare le opinioni e nell''indirizzare le decisioni di chi li circonda.
L''azione comunicativa di queste tre tipologie di individui non è però sufficiente. Il secondo elemento che influenza la diffusione di un fenomeno è il 'fattore presa'. Quotidianamente riceviamo informazioni provenienti dai più vari canali di comunicazione. Ciò rende sempre più difficile confezionare un messaggio incisivo e durevole. In molti casi, cambiamenti minimi nella strutturazione dell'informazione ne amplificano l'impatto, come dimostra l''esperienza di un gruppo di ricercatori dell''Università di Yale, che fece impennare il numero di vaccinazioni tra gli studenti del campus, inserendo nell''opuscolo di presentazione l''indicazione della sede e degli orari d''apertura dell''ambulatorio. A nulla erano servite le precedenti campagne d''informazione né i richiami allarmistici alla pericolosità dell''infezione.
Infine, gli esseri umani sono estremamente sensibili all''ambiente in cui vivono cosicché bastano piccoli ma ben mirati cambiamenti nel contesto di riferimento per influenzarne drasticamente il comportamento (è questo, appunto il terzo fattore, ovvero il 'potere del contesto'). Gladwell sostiene la teoria secondo cui i gruppi, per servire da incubatori di messaggi contagiosi, non devono superare i 150 componenti. Alcune ricerche sembrano infatti dimostrare che questo è il numero massimo al di là del quale entrano in gioco impedimenti strutturali alla coesione e all''operatività del gruppo. Ad esempio, l'azienda W L Gore & Associates, famosa per la produzione di Gore-Tex, pur essendo una compagnia molto articolata, ha una gestione simile a quella di una start-up. Non c'è una gerarchia visibile e, quando il numero di dipendenti che lavorano nello stesso edificio supera le 150 persone, viene costruito un nuovo stabilimento.
Grazie all''azione congiunta dei tre fattori sopra elencati, la diffusione di un fenomeno sociale raggiunge il punto critico e diventa inarrestabile. Inizialmente gli innovatori sono i soli a sperimentare idee, oggetti e comportamenti. Seguono gli adottatori precoci, ovvero gli opinion leader della comunità, che osservano il comportamento degli innovatori e, in alcuni casi, lo adottano. Il fenomeno si trasforma in un'epidemia sociale quando anche la maggioranza precoce e la maggioranza tardiva, ovvero le massa scettiche ed esitanti di consumatori, si lasciano contagiare dalla moda. In coda troviamo i ritardatari, i tradizionalisti che non vedono alcun motivo urgente per cambiare abitudini.
Se è difficile, per non dire impossibile, trovare una formula che garantisca il diffondersi delle epidemie sociali, Malcom Gladwell ci aiuta però ad aprire gli occhi sui modelli che esse sembrano seguire, che si tratti della folla di persone in coda per acquistare un paio di scarpe, del successo di un programma televisivo, o dell''abbattimento dell''indice di criminalità cittadino.
- Seann HaverReviewed in Canada on October 18, 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars A different way to think about things!
Format: KindleVerified PurchaseVery interesting logic. What works and what doesn’t. Tipping point makes sense of fads and trends more easily. The idea of connectors, salesmen and mavens really make sense. Love this book!
- Luis MartinReviewed in Spain on November 30, 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars Must read
How things have impact. A book to read for life
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Philippe BuschiniReviewed in France on August 12, 2013
5.0 out of 5 stars Comment de petites choses peuvent avoir de si grandes répercussions
Le "Tipping Point" ("point de bascule" dans la langue de Molière) est un terme emprunté à l'épidémiologie qui correspond au seuil critique à compter duquel le nombre de personnes atteintes par un virus s'accroit de manière exponentielle (il a été aussi utilisé pour décrire le taux de criminalité d'une ville, les effets d'une catastrophe nucléaire, etc.). Dans son ouvrage éponyme, Malcolm Gladwell s'attache à appliquer ce terme à des domaines plus entrepreneuriaux en introduisant la notion de "contagion ou viralité des idées".
Bombardée par un flot continu de messages publicitaires, notre attention n'est que peu réceptive aux informations. Selon Malcolm Gladwell, notre entourage est encore le seul à pouvoir nous influencer efficacement et le bouche-à-oreille représente de loin le meilleur moyen de propager une idée. Encore faut-il en comprendre les mécanismes d'interactions !
Le succès de la viralité des idées nécessite la mise en place de :
1) Les déclencheurs ou la loi du petit nombre (the law of the few). Il se réfère ici au principe économique du "80/20" qui dit que 80% du travail se fait par 20% des participants et qu'une minorité de personnes ayant des qualités sociales hautement développées permettent à la viralité de s'étendre. Il distingue 3 typologies sur lesquelles il sera nécessaire de s'appuyer :
- Les experts (Mavens), extrêmement bien informés, toujours à l'affut des nouveautés, ils accumulent les connaissances et sont très doués pour les partager dans l'unique but de rendre service.
- Les connecteurs (Connectors) qui possèdent un vaste réseau social et qui sont donc de véritables carrefours de relations, capables de rassembler beaucoup de gens en très peu de temps.
- Les prescripteurs (Salesmen), véritables vecteurs de persuasion, leur force de conviction et leur charisme poussent les autres à adhérer à ce qu'ils disent.
Le processus de diffusion peut être résumé de la manière suivante : Les experts (Mavens) prennent connaissance d'une nouvelle idée et se l'approprient, ils la triturent dans tous les sens et commencent à en parler autour d'eux. Dans leurs cercles de relations se trouvent un ou plusieurs connecteurs (Connectors) qui propageront l'idée à un large groupe de personnes. Plusieurs de ces personnes sont des prescripteurs (Salesmen) qui exerceront leur talent de persuasion pour les vendre aux autres créant ainsi une viralité "sociale".
2) Le principe de l'adhérence (the stickiness factor) ou la capacité d'une idée de rester imprimée dans l'esprit des gens. Même si un large groupe de personnes est au courant d'une idée, nous dit Malcolm Gladwell, si le message n'adhère pas, les gens ne s'en préoccuperont pas. Pour lui, la manière dont sont présentées les idées à un impact plus important encore que son contenu même.
3) Le contexte de viralité (the power of context). L'environnement dans lequel les gens évoluent influence profondément leur comportement. Des changements mineurs dans au sein de celui-ci peuvent avoir des répercussions importantes sur la manière dont les gens se comportent (il cite l'exemple de la propreté ou l'absence de propreté des quais du métro qui influe complètement sur la civilité des usagers dans les transports).
Anecdote amusante en opposition avec la viralité, Malcolm Gladwell nous parle aussi du nombre de Dunbar. Robin Dunbar, célèbre anthropologue britannique, après avoir analysé la taille du néo-cortex de différents primates et l'avoir comparé au nombre d'individus de leurs groupes respectifs en a déduit par extrapolation que le nombre d'amis, avec lesquels un humain peut entretenir une relation stable, à un moment donné de sa vie est de maximum 150 (147,8 pour être exact).
Comme tous les livres de Malcolm Gladwell, The Tipping Point regorge d'exemples de construction de viralité.
- Dominic ChaseReviewed in Poland on January 22, 2024
4.0 out of 5 stars Misinformation in the discription
The book is 12.7 cms wide for anyone who values such information. The book itself is one of my favorite books.