Contagious Diffusion: Contagious diffusion occurs when a cultural trait spreads rapidly and continuously outward from its hearth (the original source) to nearby places. It's like when someone starts laughing in a classroom and soon everyone else joins in on the laughter.
Hierarchical Diffusion: Hierarchical diffusion happens when a cultural trait spreads from larger, more influential places (such as cities or important people) to smaller and less influential places. It's like how fashion trends start with celebrities and eventually reach regular people.
Stimulus Diffusion: Stimulus diffusion occurs when an idea or innovation is adopted by different cultures but modified to fit their own traditions or preferences. It's like how different countries have their own versions of fast food chains like McDonald's or KFC.