The diffusion model and the social-hierarchical process of change

This article presents some critical comments on the use of Rogers'innovation-diffusion model, which is often referred to in health promotionresearch as an explanation of how behavioural changes occur over time. Theanalytical focus is on the belief that there is a social pattern in theprocess of diffusion, so that higher socio-economic groups lead the way inadopting 'preventive innovations', and lower socio-economic groupssubsequently follow as 'late adopters'. This view of the diffusion process- closely akin to the notion of 'imitational/social role modelling' - willbe reviewed here within a sociological framework.