The ‘Polychronicity - Multiple Media Use’ (P-MMU) scale: a multi-dimensional scale to measure polychronicity in the context of multiple media use

Abstract

ABSTRACTOur paper details the development of a new multidimensional scale to measure polychronicity, ‘the preference for multiple media use’ (the P-MMU). Previous measures of polychronicity are predominantly developed for an organisational context, or do not reflect the complexity required for the measurement of the behavioural phenomenon of multiple media use, within the context of Integrated Marketing Communications. Scale development procedures follow a review of literature and prior qualitative study, uncovering motives for individuals’ preference for multiple media use. The nine dimensional P-MMU scale demonstrates stability across two data sets, using a total sample of 317 Digital Natives. In the evolving research area of multiple media use, the P-MMU scale provides an appropriate measure for the study of this phenomenon.