Diffusion - Explained - A.P. Human Geography Concept

 What is Diffusion?

Diffusion is the process by which a feature spreads across space from one place to another over time.

• There are SO MANY types of diffusion

  • Relocation Diffusion - the spread of an idea through physical movement of people from one place to another

    • Example - people migrating & taking their culture with them

  • Expansion Diffusion - spread of a feature in an additive process

    • Example - after the people who relocated settled in, they passed their culture onto others (expanding & building upon)

  • Hierarchical Diffusion - spread of an idea from authority to others

    • is seen in pop culture - Example - people copying what a celebrity wears

  • Contagious Diffusion - rapid diffusion throughout a population

    • most often seen in the internet, like a meme

  • Stimulus Diffusion - spread of an underlying principle even though a characteristic of it fails to diffuse