Question

The diffusion of innovations model categorizes individuals as:
(A). Innovators
(B). Early adopters
(C). Late majority
(D). Progressive
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

• A. (A), (B) and (C) only
• B. (A), (B) and (D) only
• C. (A), (B), (C) and (D)
• D. (B), (C) and (D) only

Hint:

Remember the five formal adopter categories in order of adoption:
$\text{Innovators (2.5%)} \rightarrow \text{Early Adopters (13.5%)} \rightarrow \text{Early Majority (34%)} \rightarrow \text{Late Majority (34%)} \rightarrow \text{Laggards (16%)}$.
Any other terms (like "progressive" or "advanced") are not part of Rogers' model.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Everett Rogers, in his classic work Diffusion of Innovations, classified members of a social system into five distinct adopter categories.
These categories are based on their innovativeness, which is defined as the degree to which an individual adopts new ideas relatively earlier than other members of a system.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
The Rogers adopter categorization model is represented by a bell-shaped curve and includes five categories:
1. Innovators (2.5%):
Risk-takers who are eager to try new ideas, have cosmopolitan relationships, and can cope with high levels of uncertainty.
2. Early Adopters (13.5%):
Respectable local opinion leaders who adopt new ideas early but with care, serving as role models for others.
3. Early Majority (34.0%):
Deliberate individuals who adopt new ideas just before the average member of a social system.
4. Late Majority (34.0%):
Skeptical individuals who adopt an innovation only after the majority of the community has tried it, often due to economic necessity or peer pressure.
5. Laggards (16.0%):
Traditionalists who are highly skeptical of change, focus on the past, and adopt innovations only after they have become outdated.
Looking at the options:
(A) Innovators, (B) Early adopters, and (C) Late majority are official categories in Rogers' model.
(D) Progressive is a general adjective used to describe farmers, but it is not a formal category in Rogers' model.
Therefore, only (A), (B), and (C) are correct.

Step 3: Final Answer:
The correct option is (A) (A), (B) and (C) only.