MOVEMENT

• HOW DO YOU GET YOUR INFORMATION?

• HOW DO YOU MOVE AROUND?• HOW DO PEOPLE, IDEAS, GOODS OR

THINGS MOVE FROM PLACE TO PLACE?

Connectedness

Diffusion: the process of dissemination, the spread of an idea or innovation from its hearth (origin) to other areas.

What slows/prevents diffusion?- time-distance decay- cultural barriers-transportation/

communication barriers

Types of Diffusion• Expansion Diffusion – idea or innovation spreads

outward from the hearth

• Contagious – widespread to most people• Hierarchical – spread of idea from nodes of

authority or power to other people or places• Stimulus – spread of underlying principal but

with some adaptations

• Relocation Diffusion – movement of individuals who carry an idea with them

BARRIERS TO DIFFUSION

•TIME and DISTANCE DECAY – farther from the source & the more time it takes, the less likely innovation adopted

•CULTURAL BARRIERS – some practices, ideas, innovations are not acceptable/adoptable in a particular culture – e.g. pork, alcohol, contraceptives…

•PHYSICAL BARRIERS – physical barriers on the surface may prohibit/inhibit adoption

Examples of Hierarchical Diffusion

• AIDS is typically viewed as hierarchical because if its historically distinctive URBAN to URBAN diffusion pattern

• Political ideas• Fashion is also viewed as

hierarchical. Why?

Expansion Diffusion

• Stimulus Diffusion – the spread of an underlying principle even though the characteristic itself does not spread.

»OR

• Stimulus Diffusion - involves the transfer of an underlying concept or idea, without the specific accompanying traits due to some cultural or other barrier to the movement of the idea

Other Types of Diffusion• Relocation diffusion –

movement of individuals who carry an idea or innovation with them to a new, perhaps distant locale. Can include languages, religions, and ethnicities.

Photo credit: A.B. MurphyPhoto credit: H.J. de Blij

Kenya

Paris, France

Migrant Diffusion (a form of Relocation Diffusion)

• Migrant Diffusion is when an innovation originates and enjoys strong, but brief, adoption there. The innovation may travel long distances (& be thriving), but could be faded out back at the point of origination – e.g. influenza in China will reach the U.S., but the epidemic could be over in China by the time it takes hold in the U.S.