Cultural Transmission and the Diffusion of Innovations: Adoption Dynamics Indicate that Biased Cultural Transmission is the Predominate Force in Behavioral Change

Articles
Henrich, J. (2001). Cultural transmission and the diffusion of innovations: Adoption dynamics indicate that biased cultural transmission is the predominate force in behavioral change. American Anthropologist, 103(4), 992-1013. doi:10.1525/aa.2001.103.4.992.
In challenging the pervasive model of individual actors as cost-benefit analysts who adapt their behavior by learning from the environment, this article analyzed the temporal dyna…

Applying Diffusion of Innovation Theory to Intervention Development

Articles
Dearing, J. (2009). Applying diffusion of innovation theory to intervention development. Research on Social Work Practice, 19(5), 503-518. doi:10.1177/1049731509335569.
Few social science theories have a history of conceptual and empirical study as long as does the diffusion of innovations. The robustness of this theory derives from the many disc…

Why Organizations Adopt System Process Innovations: A Longitudinal Study Using Diffusion of Innovation Theory

Articles
Mustonen-Ollila, E., & Lyytinen, K. (2003). Why organizations adopt information system process innovations: A longitudinal study using Diffusion of Innovation theory. Information Systems Journal, 13(3), 275-297. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2575.2003.00141.x.
This paper identifies factors that affected over 200 information system (IS) process innovation adoption decisions in three organizational environments over a period that spanned …

Innovating 'Diffusion of Innovation' theory: Innovation Characteristics the Intention of Utility Companies to Adopt Energy Conservation Interventions

Articles
Völlink, T., Meertens, R., & Midden, C. (2002). Innovating 'diffusion of innovation' theory: Innovation characteristics the intention of utility companies to adopt energy conservation interventions. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 22(4), 333-344. doi:10.1006/jevp.2001.0237.
Assessed the capacity of the innovation attributes proposed in Rogers' diffusion theory (1995) to predict the intention to adopt energy conservation interventions. It also provide…

Accelerating the Diffusion of Innovations Using Opinion Leaders

Articles
Valente, T. W., & Davis, R. L. (1999). Accelerating the diffusion of innovations using opinion leaders. The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 566, 55 - 67.
Theory on the diffusion of innovations has been used to study the spread of new ideas and practices for over 50 years in a wide variety of settings. Most studies have been retrosp…

Diffusion of Energy-Conserving Innovations

Articles
Darley, J. M., & Beniger, J. R. (1981). Diffusion of energy-conserving innovations. Journal of Social Issues, 37, 2, 150-171.
Suggests that people's decisions to adopt energy-conserving processes and products is a specific instance of the decision to adopt an innovation. Based on previous research, 8 dim…

1-2-3 Campaign Against Global Warming

Cases
The 1-2-3 Global Warming Campaign was initiated in the 1st Unitarian Church in Portland, Oregon in January 2001 to inform people about the dangers of global warming and spur them …

Diffusion of an Effective Skin Cancer Prevention Program: Design, Theoretical Foundations, and First-Year Implementation

Articles
Glanz, K., Elliott, T., Steffen, A., O'Riordan, D. (2005). Diffusion of an effective skin cancer prevention program: Design, theoretical foundations, and first-year implementation. Health Psychology, 24(5), 477-487.
This article describes the design and theoretical foundations of the Pool Cool Diffusion Trial and reports 1st-year findings. Aims of the study are to evaluate the effects of 2 st…

Effective Dissemination of Energy-Related Information: Applying Social Psychology and Evaluation Research

Articles
Dennis, M., Soderstrom, E.J., Koncinski, W.S., Cavanaugh, B. (1990). Effective Dissemination of Energy-Related Information: Applying Social Psychology and Evaluation Research. American Psychologist, 45(10), 1109.
Discusses the limitations of previous energy conservation programs in affecting the behavior of individual consumers. Suggests that the rational-economic model upon which they wer…

Motivating Residents to Conserve Energy Without Financial Incentives

Articles
McMakin, A., Malone, E., & Lundgren, R. (2002). Motivating residents to conserve energy without financial incentives. Environment and Behavior, 34(6), 848-863.
Given the aim to motivate people to conserve energy in homes, we need to understand what drives people's energy use behavior and how it can be influenced. This article describes a…

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