Spillover: meaning, definitions and examples

Etymology

• Originating from the English phrase 'spill over', it combines 'spill' (to overflow) and 'over' (beyond), making it easy to understand its meaning.
• The term has been used since the late 19th century, primarily to describe physical overflow, but it evolved to also capture figurative meanings.

Economics

• In economics, spillover refers to the impact that activities in one economic area can have on others, like a city's growth benefiting nearby towns.
• Positive spillover effects can enhance public services, while negative effects, like pollution, can harm surrounding areas.

Environmental Science

• Environmental spillover occurs when pollution or ecological changes in one region affect neighboring ecosystems, often leading to biodiversity loss.
• Spillover can lead to the spread of invasive species, where an organism moves from one ecosystem to another, disrupting local species.

Sociology

• Social spillover examines how changes in one community or society, such as policy changes, can influence attitudes and behaviors in surrounding areas.
• Cultural trends often exhibit spillover as well; what’s popular in one city can quickly influence fashion and entertainment in others.

Health

• Health spillover pertains to the effects one person's health status can have on others, like how a pandemic can affect public health on a large scale.
• Well-being can also have positive spillover effects, where improvements in one individual’s mental health lead to better outcomes for their family or community.