The Power of Context

The environment or context in which people operate can influence their behavior and decisions.

Small changes in context can have significant effects.

Gladwell discusses the “Broken Windows Theory,” which suggests that maintaining and monitoring urban environments to prevent small crimes like vandalism can help create an atmosphere of order and lawfulness, thereby preventing more serious crimes.

The cleanup of New York City’s subway system, which involved removing graffiti and cracking down on fare evasion, is a practical example where changing the context led to reducing crime.