The document discusses several theories that have influenced communication technology: - Roger's Diffusion of Innovation theory explains how new technologies are adopted over time. - Critical Mass Theory describes how an innovation becomes widely adopted after reaching a critical threshold of users. - Social Information Processing Theory explains how people interact through technology despite barriers. - Uses and Gratification Theory discusses how people choose media to fulfill personal needs and desires. - Social Learning Theory focuses on learning through observing and imitating others. These theories have all impacted the author's use and understanding of emerging communication technologies.

1. WHAT WILL THE
COMMUNICATION L. Bingham
Comm 303
TECHNOLOGY Final Project
Spring 2013
LANDSCAPE LOOK LIKE
IN 2023 AD?

5. ROGER’S DIFFUSION OF INNOVATION
 From flip phones to razrs to iPhones- the process of everyone
slowly adapting to the new technology is called the Diffusion
Theory…
 Roger’s Diffusion of Innovation (aka Diffusion Theory) states that
“an innovation is communicated over time through different
channels to members of a social system”.
 Several characteristics of the Diffusion Theory:
 A. relative advantage
 B. compatibility
 C. complexity
 D. trialability
 E. observability
This whole slide was taken from our text: Grant & Meadows, 2012.

6. Early
Innovators
Adopters
Early Late
Majority Majority
Late
Adopters
Slow
pokes
(“Rogers’ Diffusion of”)

7. Knowledge
Persuasion
Person Person Person Person takes Person
becomes develops decides to the actions confirms or Decision
aware of the his/her accept or from the denies
new opinion on the reject the previous step his/her
innovation new innovation and starts to previous
innovation and begins to integrate decision to
make actions them even accept/reject
towards more this
accepting or innovation. Implementation
rejecting the
innovation
Confirmation
(Orr, 2008)

8. CRITICAL MASS THEORY
Our text explains to us that the Critical Mass Theory is the group of people who are
willing to be the first to try new innovations. These users contribute to “collective
action”, which is the whole taking the risk part. They take the risk, to further help
initiation of “universal access”. Universal access is the ultimate goal, when can
ultimately make technology the MOST useful by allowing everyone to use it. When
the innovation takes off, the peak it has to reach is known as the “critical
mass”, according to our text (Grant & Meadows, 2012).
The website “Save Pune, Act Now” gives a great explanation of Critical Mass Theory.
It uses monkeys as an example. Stating that monkeys on one island started a
certain behavior, they stayed on that island; however, miraculously, the monkeys on
another island across the ocean started doing the exact same behavior. The author
of “Save Pune, Act Now” states: “When a limited number of people know
something in a new way, it remains the conscious property of only those
people. However, there is a point at which if only one more person tunes in to a new
awareness, that new awareness is picked up by everyone.”
(The Critical Mass Theory)

9. CRITICAL
MASS
THEORY….
AGAIN.
This picture
serves as a good
examples of the
Critical Mass
T h e o r y. T h e i d e a
behind the theory
is that it starts
with one group
(represented by
the single, bigger
“U” on the far
left). Then, the
product at hand
expands through
the
world, eventually
reaching just
about ever yone.
(Ever yone being
represented by
the tinier balls of
elements to the
right of the main
“U”)

10. SOCIAL INFORMATION
PROCESSING THEORY

12. THROUGH
DISTANCE
LANGUAGE
BARRIERS
AND EVEN
CULTURAL
DIFFERENCES

13. THE SOCIAL
INFORMATION
PROCESSING THEORY
EXPLAINS HOW IT IS
PLAUSIBLE FOR PEOPLE
TO INTERACT WITH EACH Be it
d i s t a n c e , c u l t ur al
OTHER THROUGH THINGS d i f fe r e n c e s , te c h n
o l o g y, et c . T h e s e
t h i n g s m a ke i t
THAT SHOULD MAKE IT d i f fi c ult f o r u s .
A c c o r d in g to
w i s e g e e k .c o m , w e
DIFFICULT FOR US TO are born with a
d e s i r e to
COMMUNICATE.
c o m m uni c a te , a n d
will do so no
m a t te r t h e
d i f fi c ult y.

14. USES AND GRATIFICATION THEORY
We, as media This can come in the
users, choose our form of:
own mix of media  Music
that fit our personal  Books
tastes.  Websites
 TV shows
 Etc.

15. USES AND GRATIFICATION THEORY
According to our text
(Grant & Meadows, 2012):
 7 isolated categories  Criticisms of this
 Social and physiological theory:
origins  Power of media is not
 Needs taken into account
 Expectations  The theory focuses mainly
 Mass media or other on the people being
sources affected
 Differential patterns of
media exposure
 Needs gratifications  (Users and Gratifications
 Other consequences Theory)

16. Focuses on
how we
learn by
copying
SOCIAL LEARNING others
THEORY (Grant &
Meadows, 2012)
.

17. SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY
One person models
Hey! How
greeting people with Hey!
How are are you?
“Hey! How are you?” you?
Now everyone does it.
Hey!
This is an example of How are
the Social Learning you?
Theory… Hey!
How are
you? Hey!
How
Hey! How are
are you? you?
Hey! How
are you?

18. The five theories I have listed in this powerpoint: Roger’s Diffusion of
Innovation, Critical Mass Theory, Social Information Processing Theory, Uses and
Gratification Theory, and the Social Learning Theory, have all influenced me in some
way. The Diffusion Theory has influenced me obviously through the use of cellular
phones, computer/internet, radio, etc. Although most of these things I grew up
using, so I wasn’t part of the initial diffusion, but I still had to learn how to work
them, as well as, adapt to them- especially the ever changing internet (and cell
phones)! The Critical Mass Theory has made its way into my life through me being a
go-getter. I’m the risk taker who will try new technological advances! Social
Information Processing Theory has influenced me in many ways: I know several
thousands of people thanks to my motivation to meet new people, and also the
Internet helps me keep in touch with those who are many miles away. I read some
where where they criticized this theory for its depersonalization due to the internet;
however, if anything the internet has helped me stay in touch with those too far away
in other countries (granted, its hard to show emotion through the computer, but that
has nothing to do with the internet, and everything to do with the computer itself). The
Uses and Gratification Theory prove why I get a sense of happiness through using
technology. Technology makes my life so much easier (most of the time!). It has also
influenced my expectations of certain technological pieces. And lastly, the Social
Learning Theory, obviously, this theory has help mold me into a normal person! I don’t
sit around and write stories on walls, or walk on all fours anymore. I can communicate
effectively and I can also understand what someone is trying to communicate to me
as well, thanks to this theory.

19. Resources
Grant, A., & Meadows, J. (2012). Communication technology update and fundamentals.
(13th ed., pp. 26-31). Waltham, MA: Focal Press.
Rogers' diffusion of innovations. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.personal.psu.edu/users/w/x/wxh139/Rogers.htm
Orr, G. (18, March 2003). Diffusion of innovations, by everett rogers (1995). Retrieved
from http://www.stanford.edu/class/symbsys205/Diffusion of Innovations.htm
The critical mass theory. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://savepune.tripod.com/id7.html
What is the social information processing theory?. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-social-information-processing-theory.htm
Uses and gratification theory. (n.d.). Retrieved from:
http://communicationtheory.org/uses-and-gratification-theory/

20. Resources (Pictures)
Flip phone and Razr phone: www.lg.com
iPhone 5: www.att.com
Knowledge (slide 7): www.benniecarter.com
Persuasion (slide 7): www.communicationissuccess.blogspot.com
Decision (slide 7): www.rajivbajaj.net
Implementation (slide 7): www.ultraconsultants.com
Confirmation (slide 7): www.saintvdp.org
Computer on Social Processing Theory slide 11:
www.timpottersugarland.blogspot.com
World on Social Processing Theory slide 12: www.highlandmall.com

21. Note:
I use the Kindle verson (Ebook) of our text: Communication Technology Update and
Fundamentals, so the pages listed might differ from the actual pages in the
paperback form.
Also, all images referenced were searched on Google, not the actual website.
However, I cited the websites just to make sure there was no plagiarism.