THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SCIENTIFIC SPECIALTY AS DIFFUSION THROUGH SOCIAL-RELATIONS - THE CASE OF ROLE ANALYSIS

This research considers whether the development of a scientific specia lty can be understood as a diffusion process in which social relations and mass media are alternative sources of information and influence. The kinds of modifying adoptions of innovations observed during the de velopment of a scientific specialty are compared with the straightforw ard adoptions that occur during ordinary diffusion processes. The deve lopments of two innovations in role analysis, a specialty of social ne twork analysis, are examined as a case study. It is shown that these a doptions are, in some ways, similar to the straightforward adoptions o ccurring in ordinary diffusion. Specifically, social relations were so urces of information and influence, and qualities of the innovations a ffected the rates of adoption. Differences between the development of role analysis and ordinary diffusion processes also are illustrated. T he availability of mass media sources of information and influence dep ends on the number of adopters during the development of a scientific specialty, but not during ordinary diffusion processes. This differenc e has further implications for the effect of qualities of the innovati on on the development of scientific specialties.