Doctoral Dissertation Research: Modeling the Diffusion of Non-normative Ideas and Behavior

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SES-1103078Michael HoutSarah CowanUniversity of California Berkeley Diffusion theory describes the process of how information or behavior spreads within a community or a social system. How does that diffusion change when the object of the diffusion is a secret that is concealable and stigmatized? While studied widely across the social sciences, there remain several gaps in diffusion theory. This project addresses two of those gaps. First, while nearly all diffusion studies examine items that diffuse widely, this dissertation research examines a truncated diffusion process. Second, this research focuses on the diffusing items' qualities and how they facilitate this truncation. This is rarely emphasized in previous diffusion studies. The research will test two hypotheses. First, the research hypothesizes that individuals will disclose their secrets only to people they think will be supportive and their confidants will behave similarly. Those the secret-keeper believes will react hostilely to the information will not be told the secret. Second, the study assumes that an abbreviated diffusion will occur that is distorted in the direction of confidants who already hold accepting attitudes toward the secret. The result would be polarization whereby one group knows secrets and therefore has personal exposure with stigmatized individuals whereas one group does not know the secrets and does not knowingly have contact with stigmatized individuals. To test these hypotheses, the research will measure respondents? knowledge of the abortion history of women whom they know personally. Abortion history is an archetypal secret for this study, due to its prevalence, ability to be concealed and associated stigma. One in three American women has an abortion during her lifetime; 1.2 million abortions were performed in 2005; a quarter of pregnancies end in abortion. This study will collect data from a nationally representative survey of American adults that will be used to compare knowledge and diffusion of information regarding miscarriage and abortion histories. Broader ImpactsDiffusion theory is employed to explain attitude and behavior change in a wide variety of social situations, from dropping out of high school, teenage pregnancy, obesity and the adoption of prescription drugs use. An improvement in the theory would be useful in helping to better understand these and other social problems as well as opinion formation and maintenance.