What characterizes the early majority in the diffusion of innovation theory?

The early majority is characterized by their pragmatic approach to adopting innovations. They typically wait until a technology or product has been widely accepted and demonstrated its value before making the decision to adopt it themselves. This group tends to need reassurance that a new innovation is not just a passing trend and that it has been successfully utilized by others in the market.

Their behavior reflects a combination of careful assessment and a desire for social validation; they look to see how others have fared with the technology before committing. This cautious adoption is contrasted with innovators and early adopters, who are more willing to embrace new ideas and take risks.

The other options depict characteristics of different adopter categories. For instance, skepticism is more aligned with the late majority's approach, while the first users of a product would refer to innovators. Resistance to new technologies typically describes laggards, who are last to adopt innovations, often due to their comfort with traditional methods or a general aversion to change.