Editing vertex, influencing surrounding verts

Using 2.71, is there a setting to influence surrounding verts from the one selected? In other words, I have one vert selected on a surface of a plane - as I move the vert perpendicular to the surface, I would like to see the verts adjacent to the selected vert move as well, but not as much as the selected vertex - plus the further the vertices are from the selected, the less it will move. Does that make sense? I haven’t noticed a setting or option that does that.

Proportional editing, shortcut O or the circle icon on 3d view header. Select the type of fall off you want
http://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Doc:2.6/Manual/3D_interaction/Transform_Control/Proportional_Edit

Exactly - thank you very much - never thought of the word proportional to describe that behavior.