Malcolm Gladwell Analysis

How can a single person analyze and be able to conspicuously influence a group of individuals to start a movement? Malcolm Gladwell provides three rules of starting epidemics by setting up dynamics to be able to make influencing epidemics to alter behavior. The three laws of the tipping point is to understand the law of the few, ensure to leave a lasting impression with the “Stickiness Factor”, and to understand the power of Context.
An epidemic is usually identified in the medical field as an infectious disease that begins to spread uncontrollably. For example the flu had massive effects in a short amount of time. The main key is that it took some type of host to carry a disease from one host to another. The law of the few focuses

on a 80/20 system that 80 percent of the work will be conducted by 20 percent of the participants. For an epidemic to begin that 20 percent are made up of three different classifications of personalities. The Mavens who are the originators that will realize the epidemics potential and recruit the sellers to begin the epidemic. Then the sellers will persuade the connectors. Once the connectors have been persuaded, they will turn it into an epidemic by connecting all participants involved in the epidemic.
The Stickiness factor means that a message makes an impact and is very appealing to a group. As the agent is being introduced into a group, the ability for the agent to have a lasting infectious to create an epidemic is essential.
The power of context refers to epedmics being extremely succeptable to conditions and circumstances of the times and places in which they occur.

Certain individuals are more sensitive to their environment than others and naturally have different behavior. For example when Soldiers put on their uniforms for a formal dining event with their unit, they walk tall as soon as the jacket comes on and the bow tie is tightned. Not to say they are not proper ladies or gentleman, but for those few hours they walk a little bit taller. Their chest sticks out a little further. Versus if a Soldier who would be spending the weekend with their families on the beach where the environment and situation completely is toned down. This is a behavior function of social

context.
Our Environment plays a major role on our behavior and how epidemics reach a tipping point.

Gladwell utilized a very interesting study led by Zimbardo where a group of idividuals randomly prescreened and selected played the rolls of prisoners and prison guards without any knowledge. The prisoners were assigned crimes and the guards were let free to do as they please. Within days the guards created a hostile environment and even though the prisoners knew it was makeshift they still went into survival mode. Guards were being verbally abusive and the prisoners could feel a change drastic emotional change. Some became extremely depressed and had to be removed from the scenario within days. This prove that the environment that individuals are put in they automatically react accordingly. So if an epidemic would reach a tipping point the physical environment could be altered to try and reach that effect.
The Essence of the Power of Context is that our inner states are the result of our outer circumstances. This ties in to the idea that our inner states ultimately create our outer world, perceptions are reality, we change the way we look at things, the things we look at change.
Environmental tipping points are things that can be

changed.
Peer and community influence far outway family influence.

Now the physical context aspect of epedemics is one side of the cube. The other angel that Gladwell explains is the social aspect of influencing. When an epidemic is in the pre-stage the influence of a group plays a role on the conclussionis that we come up with. Sub-conciously when we are asked a question individually we have time to rationalize our own thoughts and draw up our own conclusion. When we are asked qustions in groups, the opinions of others are included and judged cognitively.
Gladwell also demonstrates how the rule of 150 suggests that the size of the group is another one of those subtle contextual factors that can make a big difference. He uses the military as an example and it is very evident. It is easier to influence, motivate and have proper control of a unit that has less than 150 people. The platoons that a conventional Army is no larger than 90 people. They are able to operate independently with formal leader this leader is able to positively control smaller subgroups to accomplish the mission based on the mission of the highest command.
The laws that were discussed in the Tipping Point can directly be applied as a Psychological Operations Soldier. It leads us to understand how groups are essentially being influenced and how to create an epidemic to ultimately alter behaviors based on the interests of the United States.