Diffusion of Innovations

The Health Communication Capacity Collaborative (HC3) is developing a series of research briefs on a variety of communication theories to help social and behavior change communication professionals design and implement their programs.

The HC3 Research Primers describe the theory and provide guidance on when it should be used. They also include valuable information for implementers, as well as a case study that made use of the theory.

This research brief describes the Diffusion of Innovations research model and when it should be used in designing social and behavior change communication programs. This model describes how a new idea, product or positive health behavior spreads through a community or social structure. The model identifies several factors that influence how quickly an idea or behavior is adopted.

It also features a case study of the model in action, as well as what implementers need to know about Diffusion of Innovations.

Last modified: March 25, 2019

Language: English