I’m a little behind the fad, as I am just now reading The Tipping Point by Malcom Gladwell; but I am really enjoying the book, especially a section on Broken Window Theory. The basic idea is that major problems (i.e. crimes such as robbery and murder) will escalate in a vicinity if lesser problems (i.e. crimes such as graffiti, public disturbance, aggressive pan handling) are ignored. So, for instance, if a community repairs broken windows in its vicinity, then criminals can see that the community cares about the area, and is less likely to tolerate crime. Thus the criminals go elsewhere, seeking a path of less resistance. The psychology I want to focus on is that people will rise or fall to the bar that you set with your expectations and actions.

I would love to hear about a specific situation you have experienced where the Broken Window Theory applies. Feel free to tell your tale in comments section for this post.

I’ll start off with a small example of my own…

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