Diffusion of

Innovation
Theory Essence Sentence

Behavior changes as innovations are adopted.

Constructs Chart

Innovation
 The new idea, product, process, etc.

Communication channels
 Methods through which the innovation is made known to the members of
the social system
Constructs Chart
Time
 How much time it takes for the innovation decision process to occur, and the
rate at which different segments of the social system adopt the innovation

Social system
 The group structure to which the innovation is being introduced
Theoretical concept

 Diffusion of innovation is the process by which new ideas are

disseminated and adopted by a society.

 As new ideas are adopted and integrated into the society – that is, they
become the norm – behavior changes
Innovation
 Something new, whether it is a device, a practice, or an idea

 Diffusion and ultimate adoption (or rejection) is affected by certain

characteristics of the innovation itself

Characteristics
 Advantage over what is available
 Compatibility with social norms and values
 Trial on a limited basis
 Ease of use
 Having observable results
Innovation : relative advantage
 Innovation has a greater chance of being adopted if it is better that
what is already out there
or
 If it fills a void where nothing else similar exists

Examples:
 Female condom – no product like it
 Candy supplements
 Use of organic vegetables
Innovation : trialability

 Innovation has better chance of being adopted if people can try it

without making a major commitment to it in terms of time, money or
effort

Example:
 Contact lenses vs eyeglasses
 Free samples of medications
Innovation : complexity

 The more complex it is to understand and use, the less likely it is to be

adopted or even tried

Example:
 contraceptive device
 Nicotine patch
 CDC recommendation of sneezing into the upper sleeves
Innovation : compatibility

 The innovation must be compatible with existing values and needs of the
people, culture and social environment

Example:
 use of female condom may be difficult for females in cultures where touching
the genital is taboo
 Prevention of HIV transmission thru breastfeeding
 Hand sanitizers
Innovation : observability

 If the results of using the innovation can be seen by other people, it

is more likely to be adopted

Example:
 Breast augmentation
 Tattoos
 Body piercing
Communication Channel
 Diffusion
is the active sharing or communication of information
among people

 Itis a SOCIAL PROCESS: people talking to each other about a new

idea, product, food

 Mass media can reach a huge audience very quickly

 Word of mouth (one-on-one conversation) especially if people share
the same belief, education level, or socioeconomic level
Time
 Theadoption or rejection of an innovation is the result of the
innovation-decision process.

 The process takes time because it follows a sequence of steps

 Knowledge

 Persuasion

 Decision

 Implementation

 Confirmation
The Innovation-Decision Process
 Knowledge – people have to know the innovation exists

 Persuasion – people develop an attitude about the innovation

 Afterknowing about the innovation, people mentally apply it to a
present or future situation
The Innovation-Decision Process
 Decision – people engage in activities that result in a decision to
adopt or reject an innovation

 Implementation – occurs when the innovation is tried

 People have a try it to see if they like it

 Confirmation – reinforcement or confirmation

Innovation
 Something new, whether it is a device, a practice, or an idea

 Diffusion and ultimate adoption (or rejection) is affected by certain

characteristics of the innovation itself

Characteristics
 Advantage over what is available
 Compatibility with social norms and values
 Trial on a limited basis
 Ease of use
 Having observable results
Adoption Curve

 Occurs at different rates by different segments of the population

 Follows a bell curve

 Innovators
 Early adapters
 Early majority
 Late majority
 Laggards
Adoption Curve

Innovators
 people who like to take chances
 risk takers
 have financial resources

Early adopters
 Slightly larger population than innovators
 Tend to be the opinion leaders in a community
 Well respected
 Role models
 Powerful influence
 Adoption Curve
Early majority
 One of the largest segments of the population
 Greatly influenced by opinion leaders and mass media
 Although they adopt to new things, they do so over time
 When they begin to adopt, the innovation becomes mainstream

Late majority
 People who question change
 They choose to wait until innovation is an established norm or
for it to become a social or economic necessity
 They have modest resources
 Greatly influenced by peers
Adoption Curve

Laggards
 Tend to be conservative and traditional
 Have lower self-esteem, less education
 Suspicious of innovation
 Adverse to risk taking
 Geographically mobile or detached from social
environment
 They wait until the innovation is obviously
advantageous
Social System

 Itcan be individuals, an informal or formal group of people or

organizations that are interrelated and engaged in solving a joint
problem to solve a goal
 It is the common goal that holds a social system together

Examples:
 physicians in a hospital
 families in a community
 You are sent to work in Tanzania where there is a very high mortality rate among
infants due infant diseases that could be prevented by vaccination.
 How would you use the social system to ensure that mothers have their children
vaccinated?