Final answer:
The best example of hierarchical diffusion is the spread of hip hop music from major East Coast cities to the West Coast and eventually to smaller cities and rural areas. This phenomenon demonstrates how trends begin in major urban centers and gradually spread to other parts of society.
Step-by-step explanation:
The scenario that best exemplifies the concept of hierarchical diffusion is when hip hop music spread from major cities on the East Coast to major cities on the West Coast, before eventually being embraced in smaller cities and rural areas. This pattern of diffusion indicates that the trend began in large, influential urban centers before filtering down to less prominent locations. Hierarchical diffusion is seen in various domains such as religions, cultural practices, technological innovations, and languages.
For example, the expansion of a religion hierarchically might occur when a region's rulers adopt the religion and mandate it as the official one, subsequently spreading it throughout their jurisdiction. Similarly, with cultural phenomena like hip hop, the innovation began in a major city and then percolated down the urban hierarchy before reaching an international audience and establishing varied local expressions worldwide.