Assignment

Chapter 8: Guiding Questions (50 points)

1. Define in your own terms "Communication Flows " and provide rational to your response:

2. Define in your own terms "Monomorphic and Polymorphic Opinion Leadership" and provide rational to your response:

3. Define in your own terms "The Characteristics of Opinion Leaders" and provide rational to your response:

4. Define in your own terms "Difussion Networks" and provide examples of your responses:

5. Define in your own terms "Critical Mass in the Diffusion of Interactive Innovations" and provide rational to your response:

Chapter 4: Guiding Questions

1. How is an "epidemic of violence" different from the epidemic as Hush Puppies or Paul Revere's ride? Products and messages are relatively straightforward and simple things. How is crime different?

2. Explain your understanding of Wilson and Kelling's ‘broken windows' theory. What was the tipping point in the decline of violent crime in New York during the 1990s? How is this theory juxtapose to typical theories of criminal behavior (i.e. Where have you observed such a theory?)

3. What influences a student will cheat on test, assignment, or activity in a school assessment and measurement situation? How consistent and transferable is Gladwell's theory to everyday life?

4. Define FAE and how you have experienced FAE in your professional life.

5. What is an environmental tipping point? What is more important in raising youth - family or peer influence? Do you agree with Judith Harris - why/why not?

Chapters 5 through 7 Guiding Questions

1. Explain the biological and social theory behind the Rule of 150.

2.How is transactive memory used in effective business/industry management? How can we use transactive memory in our TEC 5970 course or  even in the balance of your masters program?

3. What is meant by "translation"? What are the stages or three directions of distortion necessary for rumor propagation? How does the concept of a "rumor" pay into or against the idea of translation?

4. What is the role of the super-exchangers, serving as connectors, the example of the Baltimore needle exchange program? How were they intended to be used, how do they actually function (role), and what is their potential in the efforts to reduce HIV, drug use, other health problems, and general crime?

Response:

5. What is the difference between contagiousness and stickiness? Besides smoking, what do you think are other social experiences that might be examined and explained through Gladwell's contagious and/or sticky model?