COMMUNICATION AND ADOPTION 3(3+0)

Lesson 31 : Adopter Categories

Early Majority: Deliberate (Local Adoption Leaders)

The early majority adopt new ideas just before the average member of a social system. The early majority interacts frequently with their peers, but leadership position; are rarely held by them. The early majority’s unique position; between the very early and relatively late to adopt make them an important link in the diffusion process.

The early majority may deliberate for some time before completely adopting a new idea. Their innovation-decision is relatively longer than that of the innovator and the early adopter. “Be not the last to lay the old aside, nor the first by which the new is tried”, might be the motto of the early majority. They follow with deliberate willingness in adopting innovations, but seldom lead.

Characteristics:

1. Slightly above average in age, education and farming experience.
2. They take a few more farm journals and bulletins than the average.
3. They have medium high social and economic status.
4. Less active in formal groups than early adopters, but more active than those adopting later.
5. In many cases, they are not formal leaders in the association
6. They also attend extension meetings and farm demonstrations.
7. They are most likely to be informal resources than early adopters and innovators, and so cannot afford to make hasty or poor decisions.
8. They associate mainly with people of their own community.
9. They value highly the opinions their neighbours and friends hold about them; for this is their main source of status and prestige.
10. They are mostly mentioned as “neighbours and friends” from whom the majority of farmers seek information.