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Tipping Point

A threshold where change happens very rapidly, changing something that had been previously stable. The term comes from political scientist Morton Grodzins, who used the term “tip point” when describing racial diversity in neighborhoods.

Social Epidemic

A sudden shift in ideas or behaviors within a population, like the spread of a disease. One example would be the spread of a new cultural norm. Another example would be sudden popularity of a commercial product. For a social phenomenon to be an epidemic, it must spread quickly, especially from person to person.

Small-area Variation

The term to describe how smaller parts of a whole can have very different data. In the text, this is illustrated by the treatment habits of doctors in different cities or in different parts of the same state.

Overstory

A prevailing attitude in a given area. It can be the attitude and culture of a small town or of an entire country. The overstory will often dictate how people behave and how new ideas are received.

Monoculture

A group culture with little or no diversity. In the text, this is represented in the attitudes of the Poplar Grove parents (and the school) as well as the population of cheetahs with a lack of variety in their genetics.

White Flight

A term that comes from real estate. It describes the tendency of white inhabitants to move out of a neighborhood when people of color start moving in.

Magic Third

The population ratio, between one-fourth and one-third, at which Gladwell claims a tipping point is often found. For example, in neighborhoods and schools, if less than one-third of the neighborhood is Black, white flight does not usually occur.

Law of the Few

A concept from Gladwell’s first book, The Tipping Point (2000). Broadly, the Law of the Few states that a small group of people will be responsible for change that impacts a large population. This applies to both positive change (e.g., social advocacy or civil rights) and negative effects (e.g., the car pollution referenced in the text).

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