A significant difference between technology enthusiasts and early adopters is that:

• A. Early adopters are less likely to influence others' purchasing decisions compared to technology enthusiasts.
• B. Technology enthusiasts are motivated by curiosity and a desire to experiment with new products, while early adopters are more concerned with practical benefits and social status.
• C. Technology enthusiasts tend to avoid risks, whereas early adopters prefer to wait until a product is fully tested.
• D. Early adopters are typically the first to invent new technologies, while technology enthusiasts only use them after they become mainstream.

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the context of the problem, which involves distinguishing between two consumer categories in the diffusion of innovations: technology enthusiasts and early adopters.
2. Step 2: Recall the definitions: Technology enthusiasts are consumers who are eager to try new products primarily out of curiosity and a desire to experiment, often accepting higher risks and uncertainties.
3. Step 3: Recognize that early adopters are consumers who adopt new products after technology enthusiasts, motivated more by practical benefits and social status rather than just curiosity.
4. Step 4: Analyze the given statements by comparing them to these definitions to identify which correctly captures the key difference between the two groups.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the correct distinction is that technology enthusiasts are driven by curiosity and experimentation, while early adopters focus on practical benefits and social status.