From an early age we are taught to protect ourselves from contagious things. At home, at school or at the doctor, we have always been warned of the dangers of contagious diseases and how to prevent them: the flu, the germs, the chicken pox.
But this life is full of mysteries that the books do not cite. Our attitudes and our bodies obey laws we never even imagined. Even science has trouble explaining some events. Places or activities we never assume can be very contagious, as can feelings, beliefs, and humor. So get ready, because not everything can be prevented with vaccines or by washing your hands well.
Want to know some of these strangely contagious things? Check out seven of them below.
1. Emotions and ways to lead life
Pessimistic, stressed or sad people can pass your mood on to you. Studies indicate that anxieties can be passed on to someone else just by being close. Neuroscience and psychoanalysis psychologist Sonia Eustachia Fonseca explains that according to studies of hypnosis applied to psychotherapy, a person (therapist, father, mother, friend, religious or ruler) who is able to influence communicating, altering or modifying another person's consciousness, and from there induce an affective behavior or mood? She points out that a good example of this influence is the case of soap operas, which bring models of behavior that people repeat without realizing.
“We are always communicating cheerfully and optimistically or sadly and pessimistically, and we will contaminate everyone according to their stereotypical cliches; that is, those who are predisposed to be sad will be able to amplify their sadness and reach a very high level of pessimism especially if the communicator has an excellent ability to practice induction, ie, to maximize fear conditions, anger and sadness of your interlocutor, influencing him ?.
The way out is to meditate and focus, an effort not to absorb so much negativity. Take a deep breath and try to maintain your mood regardless of the other's stress level. If you feel that you are being influenced in any way, try to step back and restart the conversation later.
2. Gestures
We are predisposed to repeat some movements of others. When we are in a group, we automatically try to adapt and it also affects our behavior and body language. These are suggestive gestures that tend to be copied when there is empathy between people as a form of social interaction. This can happen with itching, tics, laughter, finger snapping and is the most commonly used explanation for yawning contagion.
Scientists attribute this phenomenon to so-called "mirror neurons" related to language, which identify what each body message means and which drive us to repeat these movements in the act of communication.
3. Consumerism
If you are surrounded by over-buying, over-buying, consumer people, you may become more important to your material goods. The desire to have what others have as a way of demonstrating social status can not only infect you, but even addict you, often bringing financial problems.
To protect us from this contagion, it is important that we always work out our abstraction for commercial and fashion pressures. Advertising will make everything indispensable and we must be able to consider what we really need to buy. It's not labels or fads that make life really better.
4. Group Behaviors
There are several stories about outbreaks of psychosomatic illnesses, in which people feel sick and contaminate each other solely by influence. From the simplest example such as rumor, in which people believe what they are hearing, to fear, hysteria and imaginary collective illness.
Sonia Eustáquio explains that from the point of view of induction it is possible to persuade a population to different behaviors: It is the famous collective hypnosis used in spiritist centers, rituals of some sects and even positively within Catholic churches or not, to increase faith and decrease the sufferings ?, he adds.
Similarly, if we are in an environment where everyone is happy, we have an impulse to feel the same way. It is another form of body communication that is contagious at the moment of social interaction.
5. Ringworm
Mycoses are caused by fungi and are highly contagious. They like humid places and therefore have a higher rate of contagion in bathrooms, swimming pools, beaches and on body parts that sweat or are more difficult to wipe like between the toes, groin, armpits and under the breasts.
You can get ringworm not only in swimming pools and toilets, but also in damp places like the treadmill or gym bike, a wet towel, poorly ventilated shoes, and even skin contact.
6. Opinion
When we are in a group, we always tend to be in harmony with the collective, so there is interaction and well-being. Therefore, the dominant opinion in a group is constantly followed, even by those who are not so sure.
Very rarely will we want to be the only person who disagrees with a subject at a friend meeting. This divergence would naturally move us away from other individuals and so we tend to hide our opinions that may be rejected, which generates a cycle of influence where the divergent opinion will be extinguished for lack of advocates.
The same effect can be observed in the influence of large newscasts that generally dictate everyday affairs and often opinions about the facts shown.
7. Joy
But do not worry. Just as negative influences catch on, so do positive ones. When we are surrounded by people with high spirits and joy, we tend to be infected with the same spirit. It can be automatic influence or simple desire to interact in the same way as others. Anyway, surely this is a great disease? to contract.
6 Reasons Things Go Viral – Contagious: Why Things Catch On by Jonah Berger (April 2024)
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