3.4 types of diffusion

Question 1

cultural hearth

Answer 1

A cultural hearth is the geographic origin of a culture or cultural trait. Traits first diffuse from the cultural hearth.

Question 2

Diffusion

Answer 2

Diffusion: The movement or spread of cultural traits, knowledge, ideas, and trends from hearths to other geographic areas. Two major categories:
relocation + expansion

Question 3

relocation diffusion

Answer 3

The spread of a cultural trait through the migration of people.

As people migrate, they take their cultural traits with them.
Example: The migration of Europeans to the Americas in the 13th & 14th centuries resulted in the spread of Christianity and European languages such as Spanish and English.

Question 4

Expansion diffusion

Answer 4

The spread of a cultural trait through the interaction between people. There are three subtypes of expansion diffusion:
Contagious Diffusion
Hierarchical Diffusion (and Reverse)
Stimulus Diffusion

Question 5

Contagious diffusion

Answer 5

A cultural trait spreads rapidly, widely, and continuously from its hearth through close contact between people.
Time-space compression and globalization have accelerated contagious diffusion via the internet and smartphones.
Example: Viral videos

Question 6

Hierarchical Diffusion

Answer 6

The spread of cultural traits from the most interconnected, powerful, wealthy people/organizations down to others.

May be restrictive due to cost or access.
Examples:
Cell phones were first only owned by wealthy elites in large cities, as time progressed they became mass-produced and spread to a wider market.
Popular culture trends, music, fashion.

Question 7

Reverse Hierarchical Diffusion

Answer 7

The spread of cultural traits from the least interconnected, wealthy, or powerful people/organizations outwards.
Examples:
Hip Hop music in the United States started in city centers with large amounts of poverty and discrimination against African Americans. Then diffused to the broader public.
Walmart was initially started in a small town in Arkansas and now has locations internationally

Question 8

Stimulus Diffusion

Answer 8

As cultural traits spread they are altered/modified due to a cultural barrier, taboo, or difference.
Examples:
Followers of the Hindu religion are clustered in India and believe that cows are sacred and holy animals. It is a TABOO to eat beef. As McDonald’s diffused to India, it was adapted to offer veggie burgers, with chicken and mutton options. All McDonalds in India are also HALAL, as India has a large Muslim minority.