Pay it Forward is one of the greatest movies of all time. Why? Because it isn’t just a movie. It’s an idea. It’s a call to action within a work of fiction. And I am not the only person to be inspired by its message. In fact, since the book (and movie) were released ten years ago, a real-life social movement has emerged, not just in the U.S. but worldwide. What began as a work of fiction is now much more.

And thanks to some groundbreaking research, this once untested idea now has the weight of the scientific community supporting it.

Earlier this week, researchers from UC and Harvard published research that proves that cooperative behavior is contagious and that it spreads from person to person to person. When people benefit from kindness they “pay it forward” by helping others who were not originally involved, and this creates a cascade of cooperation that influences dozens more in a social network.

“Pay it forward” really works!

So now that we know paying it forward pays off, one question remains:

WHO WILL YOU HELP TODAY?

P.S. The idea behind “pay it forward” lies at the heart of TAG’s Golden Rule of Networking, which simply states: “To build a powerful connection with another person, you must give value first.” You can read more here.

Caption: This diagram illustrates how a single act of kindness can spread between individuals and across time. Cooperative behavior spreads three degrees of separation: if Eleni increases her contribution to the public good, it benefits Lucas (one degree of separation), who gives more when paired with Erika (two degrees of separation) in period 2, who gives more when paired with Jay (three degrees of separation) in period 3, who gives more when paired with Brecken in period 4. The effects also persist over time, so that Lucas gives more when paired with Erika (period 2) and also when paired with Lysander (period 3), Bemy (period 4), Sebastian (period 5), and Nicholas (period 6). The effect also persists at two degrees of separation, as Erika not only gives more when paired with Jay (period 3), but also when paired with Harla (period 4) and James (period 5). All the paths in this illustrative cascade are supported by results in the experiments, and it is important to note that if Eleni decreases her initial contribution then her uncooperative behavior can spread and persist as well.

Credit: Courtesy James Fowler, UC San Diego