The Age of Change: Diffusion of Innovation

How many times have you had to explain to your grandparent or parent how to work a cell phone? The internet? Or even, the television? We live in this day and age where our lives are completely consumed by technology, and without it some of us may not be able to go about our days. Over time, we have evolved so quickly, and for some, it may take them a bit longer to accept it or figure it out.

The diffusion of innovation is one of the oldest social science theories. This theory explains how, why, and what rate new ideas and technology spread through cultures. Diffusion is explained by the process by dispersion and dissemination over time, and by the end people adopt a new idea, behavior, or product. However, this innovation or adoption does not happen instantaneously. It is a process by which others are more opt to accepting these new ideas and innovations than others (Boston University 2019).

There are five main attributes that influence people to adopt new innovations. These include relative change, compatibility, complexity, triability, and lastly observability. All these attributes of innovations influence what type of adopter you are, and there are five categories in which you fall into. There are the innovators who are the first to try the innovation and are interested in new ideas. Early adopters are opinion leaders, they are aware of the new ideas and are comfortable adopting them. Early majority, where a third of all people exist, are rarely leaders but provide legitimization of the innovation. Late majority are the people who are skeptical of change and will only be open to the innovation after the mast majority has already. Lastly, the laggards are the people who are bound by tradition and are the hardest people to change (Davis 2021).

Which brings me to my main point.

Personally, I believe our elderly fall into the laggard category. They are often the last of the population to adopt a new idea or technology. They tend to focus on the traditions and use the younger more innovated population as sources of information. When laggards do adopt a new idea or innovation it is usually considered an obsolete. This hilarious video provided by AwakenWithJP provides a perfect example of what it is like for an innovator teaching a laggard how to use zoom.

Even if it does take the laggards eons to learn how to use this new technology, we must remember that they are just late to the party and there is more to come.

Resources

Boston University School of Public Health: Diffusion of Innovation Theory 2019 https://sphweb.bumc.bu.edu/otlt/mph-modules/sb/behavioralchangetheories/behavioralchangetheories4.html

Warren Davis Lectures 2021