How Cosmopolites React to Messages: America Under Attack

The diffusion of information about critical events has been studied using events of differing importance in Americans’ lives: This study explores the diffusion of information about a tragedy that touched Americans and others around the world. Specifically, we explore how the time a person learned of the September 11 attacks influences their selection of communication channel(s) in passing on the information to others. This study also explores the impact of the notion of “cosmopoliteness” on channel selection and its impact on the diffusion process. The results of this study inform the diffusion literature by providing evidence that cosmopoliteness does affect the diffusion process. Implications are discussed