Five Minutes, Endless Impact

Make a Difference in Just 5 Minutes

five minutes to save a life. It’s not only possible—it’s something you can do every week. By helping us hammer it into people’s heads exactly how dangerous fentanyl really is.

Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are designed for rapid sharing, allowing people to share information faster then ever before using their network structures.

You in all of this: Your voice has the power to influence the people in your circles and networks—your friends and family, those you trust, and those who trust you—and your voice will go much further than ours alone.

Think about the last time a friend raved about a new restaurant. Chances are, you were eager to try it out yourself. Now, think about an advertisement you saw for a restaurant while scrolling online. Did it have the same effect? Probably not. This isn’t just coincidence—it’s rooted in psychology. And this brings us to part one of our trifecta approach to fighting fentanyl.

Social Learning Theory

The Power of Trusted Voices: In 1977, psychologist Albert Bandura introduced the Social Learning Theory, which tells us that people learn and are influenced by those they trust and respect. Here’s how it works:

Observation: We observe the behaviors and messages of others.
Imitation: We’re more likely to adopt behaviors and beliefs that are modeled by people we trust.
Motivation: Trusted sources motivate us to take action because we value their opinions.

Messages from people you trust (like friends and family) carry far more weight than impersonal sources like ads. When you share important information, it’s more likely to be read, remembered, and acted upon by those in your network.

The Effects of Repetition

Repetition: Plays a crucial role in strengthening memory and increasing the likelihood of retaining information. This is rooted in a cognitive principle known as the “spacing effect,” which suggests that repeated exposure to information over time enhances long-term memory retention. When we encounter a message repeatedly, especially from trusted sources, our brain starts to recognize and encode that information more effectively. Each time we hear or see the same information, neural pathways are reinforced, making it easier to recall when needed.

First Exposure: 20% of people remember the message.
Second Exposure: Memory retention jumps to 35%.
Third Exposure: 50% of people remember the message.
Fourth Exposure: 65% of people retain the message.
Fifth Exposure: A significant 85% retain the message.

The Science of Collective Action

When thousands of us share the same message at once, our impact doesn’t just grow—it multiplies. Several factors come into play, and their effects grow stronger as more people join in. To help you understand how these factors work together, let’s break it down. By listing the key elements that boost engagement, maintain interest, and amplify the message’s reach, you’ll gain a clearer picture of how much more powerful our collective voice becomes as participation increases.

Engagement Algorithms
If you didn’t know, social platforms like Facebook use algorithms to decide what appears in your feed. These algorithms track how many times something is posted by different people, how often it’s shared, and how widespread it is across the platform. When a post gains popularity, it gets pushed into random feeds and other areas to keep users engaged. The idea is simple: if a lot of people are talking about or sharing something, it must be good content, so they show it to even more people to keep them hooked. The more of us who share the same message each week, the more likely it is that people outside our networks will see it too.

We already know that the more times someone sees the same message, the more likely they are to retain the information and use it when making relevant decisions. From here, I will list some of the other factors that come into play as more of us work together, with the two most important ones at the very end.

Social Contagion Theory
This theory explains how posts that evoke emotional responses spread rapidly through social networks, similar to infectious diseases. The more people share a message, the more likely it is to influence others.

Social Proof
The more a message is shared, the more credibility it gains, as it appears more valid or important.

Visibility Spike
A sudden influx of the same message captures attention.

Mere Exposure Effect
Repeated exposure increases familiarity and acceptance.

Bandwagon Effect
People are inclined to follow the actions of a larger group.

Pattern Interruption
A sudden spike in visibility draws attention due to its novelty and synchronization.

Critical Mass Theory
Once a movement reaches a certain threshold, it creates unstoppable momentum, reaching a broader audience and sparking larger social change.

Make a Difference in Just 5 Minutes

The Effects of Repetition

The Science of Collective Action

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