The second fastest category to adopt an innovation.

• A. Early majority
• B. Early adopters
• C. Innovators
• D. Diffusion (Markets)

Answer: (B)

In diffusion of innovations, people are grouped by how quickly they adopt new ideas: innovators come first, then the next group moves in after them. The second group to adopt is the early adopters. They’re motivated to try new things and are often connected to trusted sources or opinion leaders in their networks, so their adoption helps legitimize the idea for others. They’re quicker to adopt than the general public, but they’re more selective and deliberate than the innovators who lead the way. This positions them right after innovators in the adoption timeline and makes them crucial bridges to the broader market, especially the early majority.

The other options don’t fit the timing as well: innovators are the first to adopt, not the second; the early majority adopts later than the early adopters; the late majority and laggards come even later. And “diffusion (markets)” isn’t a specific adopter category but describes the spread of an idea through markets.