Diffusion Notes

What is Diffusion?

Diffusion is the process by which an innovation or idea spreads from one place to another over time.

Ideas that Diffuse

• Ideas
• War/conflict
• Dance & art styles
• Architecture styles
• Fashion
• Technology
• Sports
• Gossip
• Disease
• etc.

Key Terms

• Hearth: The place where an idea/innovation originates.
• Innovator: A person who is responsible for creating the idea or innovation and initiating the diffusion process.
• Adopter: A person who accepts or receives the idea or innovation.

Expansion Diffusion

An idea/innovation develops in a hearth and remains strong there, while also spreading outwards (the idea/innovation moves, not the people).

• Three types:
  • Contagious
  • Hierarchical
  • Stimulus

Contagious Diffusion

Diffusion where one person spreads an idea/innovation to multiple people, and then those people spread it to multiple people, and so on, and so forth.

• Uniformly affects all individuals and areas outward from the source.
• Examples:
  • Respiratory diseases
  • Viral Internet trends
  • Breaking news
  • Coffee culture
  • etc.

Contagious Diffusion: COVID-19

Started in a concentrated area, was then spread from that place via people traveling, and then spread to and among local populations until the entire world was impacted.

Hierarchical Diffusion

The spread of an idea/innovation from one key person or node of authority/power to other persons/places with less power/authority (from more influential to less influential).

• May affect only certain people or places.
• Can also work in reverse (from less to more influential).
• Examples:
  • Fashion trends
  • Phone trees
  • Popular music
  • Chains of command
  • etc.

Hierarchical Diffusion: Rap Music

Hip hop music and rap originated in New York City (node of power/influence) and from there spread to other cities, the suburbs, and even rural areas (less power/influence). The music mainly had appeal for younger people, so the diffusion did not impact everyone.

Stimulus Diffusion

When something spreads but is changed by the people who adapt the idea/innovation.

• A fundamental idea stimulates imitative behavior.
• Examples:
  • Franchise restaurants with international locations
  • “Italian” food
  • Tex-Mex
  • Gang culture
  • etc.

Stimulus Diffusion: McDonald’s

McDonald’s has restaurants in 119 countries around the world. The staple menu items are available everywhere, but franchises in some places have altered their ingredients to suit local culture. Specialty items are available in some countries but not others.

Relocation Diffusion

The spread of an idea/innovation through the physical movement of people.

• Not everyone along the path of advancement adopts the innovation.
• Examples:
  • Crops and farming techniques
  • Architectural styles
  • Concepts of government
  • Religion
  • etc.

Relocation Diffusion: Conquistadors

From the 15th to 17th centuries, Spanish and Portuguese conquistadors conquered Central and South America, bringing their language, religion, architectural style, etc., to the places where they settled. This greatly contributed to the culture of Latin America today.

Barriers to Diffusion

• Physical (mountain ranges, oceans, deserts, etc.)
• Cultural (religious beliefs, language, taboos, etc.)
• Political boundaries
• Economic (unable to afford technology or trends, etc.)

Barriers to Diffusion: Censorship

Many countries around the world censor the Internet to maintain traditional values or maintain the political status quo, effectively preventing the diffusion of some ideas.

• Examples:
  • North Korea
  • China
  • Cuba
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Vietnam
  • Singapore
  • Myanmar
  • Turkey
  • etc.

Historical Causes of Diffusion

• Trade
  • Tradesmen moved from place to place encountering new people and ideas.
  • Exchange of goods led to new agricultural and fashion trends, food preferences, etc.
  • New vocabulary was added to languages to describe previously unknown goods.
  • Language was adapted so people of different countries could trade.
• Colonialism
  • Colonists brought their ideas/innovations with them to places they settled and took ideas/innovations of the places they settled back to their homelands.
  • Major shift in the languages spoken and religions practiced by colonized people (spread of English, Spanish, Christianity, Islam, etc.).
  • Cultural suppression of indigenous practices and beliefs.
• War
  • Led to major shifts in languages spoken and religion practiced.
  • Suppression of the culture of those that were defeated/conquered.
  • Some groups purposely targeted for persecution, causing them to flee, taking their culture with them.
  • Destruction of important cultural sites and artifacts.

Contemporary Causes of Diffusion

• Urbanization
  • Innovation happens more quickly thanks to larger pool of ideas and larger source of labor.
  • A large concentration of people in one place created new needs and the need for new forms of government.
• Globalization
  • Globalization is the spread of businesses, products, people, and ideas around the world.
  • Ideas spread very quickly due to the Internet and improved transportation technologies.
  • Global popular culture overtaking local traditional culture.

Distance Decay

Distance Decay is the idea that the interaction between two places decreases as the distance between them increases.

Time-Space Convergence

Time-Space Convergence is the reduction of the time it takes to diffuse something to a distant place, as a result of improved communication and transportation technologies.

Cultural Convergence

Cultural Convergence happens when two cultures become more similar the more that they interact.

• Facilitated by high levels of communication, easy transport, trade, etc.

Cultural Divergence

Cultural Divergence happens when cultures become less alike over time due to physical and cultural barriers.

• Example: The Amish became less like other Christian groups over time.