Explain in simple terms what the different types of diffusion are

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Answer: Diffusion is simply the process by which a characteristic spreads across space from one place to another over time. Something originates at a hearth or node and diffuses from there to other places. Diffusion occurs through cultural interaction involving persons, objects, or ideas. Geographers observe two basic types of diffusion: relocation diffusion and expansion diffusion.
Relocation diffusion is the spread of an idea through physical movement of people from one place to another. When people move, they carry with them their culture, including language, religion, and ethnicity.
Expansion diffusion, on the other hand, is the spread of a feature from one place to another in a snowballing process. This expansion may result from one of three processes: hierarchical diffusion, contagious diffusion or stimulus diffusion.
Hierarchical diffusion is the spread of an idea from persons or nodes of authority or power to other persons or places. This may result from the spread of ideas from political leaders, socially elite people, or other important persons to others in the community.
Contagious diffusion is the rapid, widespread diffusion of a characteristic throughout the population. As the term implies, this form of diffusion is analogous to the spread of a contagious disease, such as influenza.
Stimulus diffusion is the spread of an underlying principle. For example, innovative features of Apple's iPhone and iPad operating systems have been adopted by competitors.
All three types of expansion diffusion occur much more rapidly in the contemporary world than in the past, because of widespread access to modern communications systems. Ideas are able to diffuse from one place to another, even if people are not actually relocating.