- 1. Diffusions of Innovations by Everett M. RogersChapter 8
Summary Opinion Leadership, Communication Networks and Critical
Mass
2. Homophily vs. Heterophily
- Homophilyis the degree to which a pair of individuals who
communicate aresimilar
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- Provides effective communication amongst groups
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- Found in most interpersonal diffusion networks
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- Can act as an invisible barrier to the flow of innovation
within a system
- Heterophilyis the degree to which pairs of individuals who
interact aredifferent
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- The diffusion process ultimately occurs through communication
links that are somewhat heterophilous
3. Opinion Leadership Table 8-1. Advantages and Limitations of
Four Methods of Measuring Opinion Leadership and Diffusion Networks
-Obtrusive -High validity None Identify and record communication
network links as they occur. Observation -dependent upon the
accuracy with which respondents can identify and report their self
images -measures the individuals perceptions of her/his opinion
leadership Are you a leader in this system? Ask each respondent a
series of questions to determine the degree to which he/she
perceives himself/herself to be an opinion leader. Self-designating
method -informants must be familiar with the system -cost saving
method -time-saving method Who are leaders in this system? Ask
subjectively selected key informants in a system to designate
opinion leaders Informants ratings -complex -requires a large
number of respondents -easy to administer-adaptable to different
types of settings and issues-highest validly Who is your leader?
Ask system members to whom they go for advice and information about
an idea Sociometric method Limitations Advantages Questions
Description Measurement 4. Characteristics of Opinion Leaders
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- Opinion leaders have greater exposure to mass media
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- Opinion leaders are more cosmopolite
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- Opinion leaders have greater contact with change agents
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- Opinion leaders have greater social participation
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- Opinion leaders have higher socioeconomic status
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- Opinion leaders are more innovative than their followers, but
are not necessarily the innovators
5. Critical Mass
- Critical mass occurs at the point at which enough individual in
a system have adopted an innovation so that the innovations further
rate of adoption becomes self-sustaining
critical mass
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6. Important Terms
- Communication networkconsists of interconnected individuals who
are linked by patterned flows of information.
- Communication structureis the differentiated elements that can
be recognized in the patterned communication flows in a
system.
- Communication network analysisis a method of research for
identifying the communication structure in a system, in which
network data about communication flows are analyzed by using
interpersonal communication relationships as the units of
analysis.
- Social distanceis the degree to which an individual perceives a
lack of intimacy with individuals who differ in socioeconomic
status, ethnicity and other variables.
7. Important Terms (continued)
- Communication proximityis the degree to which two linked
individuals in a network have personal communication networks that
overlap.
- Personal communication networkconsists of the individuals who
are linked by patterned communication flow to a given
individual.
- Interlocking personal networksare personal networks that
consist of a set of individuals, all of whom interact with one
another.
- Radial personal networkconsists of a set of individuals who are
linked to a focal individual but do not interact with one
another.
- The Strength-of-Weak-Ties Theorystates that the
information-exchange potential of communication network links is
negatively related to their degree of communication proximity and
homophily.
8. Generalizations
- Interpersonal diffusion networks are mostly homophilous.
- When interpersonal diffusion networks are heterophilous,
followers seek opinion leader of higher socioeconomic status, with
more formal education, with a greater degree of mass media
exposure, who are more cosmopolite, have a greater contact with
change agents, and are more innovative.
- Opinion leaders have greater exposure
- Individuals tend to be linked to others who are close to them
in physical distance and who are relatively homophilous in social
characteristics.
- An individual is more likely to adopt an innovation if more of
the other individuals in her or her personal network have adopted
previously.