New research suggests that when it comes to gaining influence in university social circles, it’s not how many friends you have, but how well you understand the social dynamics around you. A study of first-year university students found that those who were most influential by the end of the year were not necessarily the most popular, but those who had early insights into who was connected to whom.
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Conducted by researchers from Stanford and Brown Universities and published in Science Advances, the study tracked 187 students throughout their first academic year. Participants were asked at six intervals to identify their friends and assess the friendships of their peers. While the number of reported friendships stayed largely the same, the social influence of individual students changed significantly over time.
Dr Oriel FeldmanHall, co-author of the study, noted that while popularity remained relatively stable, influence was much more fluid. Those who became most influential by the end of the year had shown an early understanding of how different social groups or cliques were formed. This broad social awareness appeared to be a more important predictor of influence than simply having a high number of direct friendships.
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Lead author Isabella Aslarus emphasised that this understanding of social structure allows individuals to navigate networks strategically—by connecting with others or acting as intermediaries. “Knowing who is friends with whom and recognising how groups form can help someone become better connected over time,” she said. “This shows that social knowledge may be more valuable than popularity in building influence.”
