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Thanks for sharing this info Thomas -- it's very interesting.

> 'Pre-paradigmatic' seems like an apt term insofar as the dominant
> paradigm today wrt diffusion processes assumes s-shaped, scalable,
> exponential curves embedded in models of proportionate growth.

Those of us who work on network structured diffusion have a more general
paradigm. Much of this work has emerged in the context of network
modeling of epidemics, so doesn't make it into the Network journals.

> question. A good example is Lynn White's 1966 book Medieval Technology
> and Social Change, which traces the development of medieval warfare to
> innovations in horse saddlery, specifically, the introduction of the
> foot stirrup around the 6th CE. However, her description of the
> process(es) associated with the 'spreading' and adoption of saddle
> stirrups is considerably lumpier than any smooth, s-shaped curve would
> suggest.

And indeed, a network structured by clustering (for whatever reason) would
produce just this pattern.


> On Mon, Dec 4, 2017 at 2:05 PM, Thomas William Valente <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
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>
> We classified those studies as pre-paradigmatic, quite a few studies on the diffusion of
> arrowheads and other archeologic evidence. The paradigm, however, coalesced with the Ryan &
> Gross publication which strongly influenced the Rural Sociology tradition.
>
>
>
> From: George Barnett [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Monday, December 04, 2017 10:03 AM
> To: Thomas William Valente
> Cc: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [SOCNET] History and origins of diffusion processes
>
>
>
> Tom & Thomas,
>
>    It actually goes back a whole lot further to the work of Galton (cultural trait
> diffusion), and then  Pemberton (the diffusion of postage stamps) and Stuart Chapin. I
> haven't looked at the early research in 40+ years, but there was lots of research which
> preceded Ryan and Gross.
>
>
>
> George
>
>
>
>  George A. Barnett, Ph.D.
>
> Distinguished Professor Emeritus
>
> Department of Communication
>
> 393 Kerr Hall
>
> University of California – Davis
>
> Davis, CA 95616-8695
>
>
>
> [log in to unmask]
>
>
>
>
>
> On Mon, Dec 4, 2017 at 9:00 AM, Thomas William Valente <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
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>
> Thomas
>
> Although this isn’t quite what you are looking for, in the 1990-1991 time frame I interview
> (along with Everett Rogers) a number of early pioneers of diffusion of innovations research.
> We published our findings in this paper:
>
>
>
> Valente, T. W., & Rogers, E. M. (1995). The origins and development of the diffusion of
> innovations paradigm as an example of scientific growth. Science Communication: An
> Interdisciplinary Social Science Journal. 16, 238-269.
>
>
>
> The abstract reads:
>
> This article traces the emergence of the basic paradigm for early diffusion research created
> by two rural sociologists at Iowa State University, Bryce Ryan and Neal C. Gross. The
> diffusion paradigm spread to an invisible college of midwestern rural sociological
> researchers in the 1950s and 1960s, and then to a larger, interdisciplinary field of
> diffusion scholars. By the late 1960s, rural sociologists lost interest in diffusion studies,
> not because it was ineffective scientifically, but because of lack of support for such study
> as a consequence of farm overproduction and because most of the interesting research
> questions were thought to be answered.
>
>
>
> -Tom
>
>
>
> Thomas W. Valente, PhD
>
> Professor and Interim Chair
>
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>
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>
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>
> If one looks up the word 'diffusion' in the Dictionary of the History of Science, you get the
> standard explanation that 'diffusion' originated in the 19th c with Graham and Maxwell and
> has a Latin etymology in the word, diffundere, which means "to spread out." There has to be
> more to the story than this, right?
>
>
>
> Earlier references might include the  "diffusion of refracted light" in Robert Greene (1727)
> and "diffusion of light" in Newton's Optical Lectures (1728).
>
>
>
> My question for these listservs is, does anyone have any additional insight into the history
> and origins of the abstract idea of 'diffusion?'
>
>
>
> Thank you,
>
> Thomas Ball
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Thomas W. Valente, PhD
>
> Professor and Interim Chair
>
> Department of Preventive Medicine
>
> Keck School of Medicine
>
> University of Southern California
>
> Soto Street Building, Suite 330
>
> 2001 N Soto Street, MC 9239
>
> Los Angeles CA  90089-9239
>
> Email: [log in to unmask]
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