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American Economic Review: Vol. 99 No. 5 (December 2009)
AER Volume. 99, Issue 5 | 
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Innovation Diffusion in Heterogeneous Populations: Contagion, Social Influence, and Social Learning
Article Citation
Young, H Peyton. 2009. "Innovation Diffusion in Heterogeneous Populations: Contagion, Social Influence, and Social Learning."
American Economic Review,
99(5): 1899-1924.
DOI: 10.1257/aer.99.5.1899
DOI: 10.1257/aer.99.5.1899
Abstract
New ideas, products, and practices take time to diffuse, a fact that is often
attributed to some form of heterogeneity among potential adopters. This paper
examines three broad classes of diffusion models -- contagion, social influence,
and social learning -- and shows how to incorporate heterogeneity into
each at a high level of generality without losing analytical tractability. Each
type of model leaves a characteristic "footprint" on the shape of the adoption
curve which provides a basis for discriminating empirically between them. The
approach is illustrated using the classic study of Ryan and Gross (1943) on the
diffusion of hybrid corn. (JEL D83, O33, Q16, Z13)
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Authors
Young, H. Peyton (U Oxford)
JEL Classifications
D83: Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief
O33: Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes
Q16: Agricultural R&D; Agricultural Technology; Agricultural Extension Services
Z13: Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Social and Economic Stratification
O33: Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes
Q16: Agricultural R&D; Agricultural Technology; Agricultural Extension Services
Z13: Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Social and Economic Stratification
