Medium Dependence Research Articles

Does a generational gap exist in online shopping attitudes? A comparison of Chinese consumer generations from the media system dependency perspective

Based on the latest data from the Chinese General Social Survey (N = 2252), this study examines the association between media dependency, online shopping attitudes, and generational cohorts in China. We found that young generations are more dependent on new media than elder generations in terms of intensity and referent dependency. Gen Y consumers have a more favorable attitude toward online shopping than the elder groups. Unexpectedly, Gen Z, Gen X, and the elders do not significantly differ in preference for online shopping. Referent dependency on new media is significantly and positively associated with online shopping attitudes. This research addresses the question concerning studying Chinese online consumers from the theoretical perspective of media system dependency. Practical implications and future direction of Chinese online shopping behaviors research are discussed.

The Influence of Social Media on Interpersonal Relationships

With the rapid popularization and development of social media, the way people socialize in the new digital society is changing. The purpose of this study is to explore the influence of social media on interpersonal relationships, and to explore in depth the relationship dependent on network social platforms, new media, social media and short video social media. While providing diversified communication channels, social media also brings negative effects, such as loneliness and anxiety caused by lack of face-to-face communication. Different types of social media, such as network social platforms, new media and social media, have different influences on interpersonal relationships. The influence of social media on interpersonal relationship is also influenced by individuals social media dependence, usage habits and other factors. The author observes the connection of the social media and interpersonal relationship to have some analyzes and give some advice which may decrease the negative effects and increase the positive effects.

Examining the Influence of Media System Dependency Relations on User Satisfaction, and Continuance Intention in Social Networking Services

Social Networking Services (SNS) exert a substantial influence in the digital realm. For marketers and entrepreneurs, comprehending the nuances of potential consumer interaction with SNS is pivotal to craft optimal communication strategies. Consequently, deciphering the determinants that either encourage or hinder individual SNS usage behaviors becomes imperative, as it fosters deeper insights into users' continuance intentions and facilitates the building of robust relationships. Drawing upon the Media System Dependency (MSD) theory, this research addresses two main questions: 1) How do individuals' MSD relations, encompassing Understanding Dependency (UD), Orientation Dependency (OD), and Play Dependency (PD), satisfaction (ST) within the SNS context? 2) Does satisfaction subsequently enhance their continuance intention (CI) towards the SNS? To address these queries, we scrutinized data amassed from 393 online Weibo users in China. Participants, all of whom possessed prior Weibo experience, were invited to partake in a comprehensive survey. The proposed hypotheses were rigorously examined using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The analysis revealed that the three delineated MSD relations significantly bolstered participants' ST, which in turn robustly influenced their CI. This study's findings shed invaluable light on the nexus between MSD relations and SNS engagement, offering meaningful implications for both academics and SNS practitioners. Future research endeavors are encouraged to expand upon these insights and further fortify our understanding of the topic.

The Effectiveness of Online Group Guidance in Reducing Social Media Addiction of High School Students

This study aims to determine the effectiveness of online group guidance services in reducing social media dependence of high school students. This research is an experimental research with one group pretest-posttest design. The population in this study were XII grade high school students, with a sample of 15 people taken with purposive random sampling technique. In analyzing the data, researchers used the Wilcoxon Test technique. The results obtained from the Wilcoxon Test Z value of -3.287 with a sig of 0.001 is smaller than sig 0.05 (0.001 < 0.05) which means H0 is rejected and Ha is accepted, so the pre-test and post-test results are different. The findings in this study are that online group guidance services are effective for reducing social media dependence in XII grade high school students. For further research, it is recommended to conduct follow-up using individual or group counseling.

Factorial Structure and Psychometric Validation of Social Media Intelligence Quotient (SMIQ) Scales among Graduates

The Social Media Intelligence Quotient (SMIQ)'s underlying factorial structure will be extracted, and validated, and its psychometric properties will be examined in this study. Self-administered questionnaires from the universities that produce the most employable graduates in Malaysia, such as Universiti Malaya, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, and Universiti Teknologi Mara, were utilized by the researcher to gather the data. It involved 352 final-year students from the Faculty of Business Management. To ascertain the factorial structure of the SMIQ, the researcher used the Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA). Additionally, the confirmatory factorial analysis (CFA) was used to evaluate the psychometric characteristics of each item to confirm and validate it. A structural model was also developed to measure the nomological validity between social media dependency and SMIQ. It revealed that SMIQ is second order with three factorial structure constructs and met the psychometric criteria. Thus, the findings have essential implications for future research directions and the management of social media skills.

Unraveling Virtual Threads: The Impact of Social Media Engagement on Family Dynamics and Real-Life Relationships

Virtual communication through social networking sites: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, Snapchat, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Gaming Sites, and YouTube is the key characteristic of contemporary lifestyles, relationships, and interactions of young adults with friends and family (Bhowmick & Madhu,2020). Its spread has raised concerns in Pakistan, a multi-lingual and multi-ethnic Muslim country, with conventional, family-orientated social frameworks based mostly on joint and extended systems. Online over-engagement though is increasing awareness, it is reducing real communication between parents and their (young) adults in urban Pakistan that the society considers essential for propagation of family norms, traditions, and values (Woodward, 2020). It has compromised real family time and inter-family social networking by involving individuals in the virtual world. They are physically present with their families but they are mentally engaged with their mobile phones (Kanwal, Pitafi, Akhtar, and Irfan, 2019). This research explores the multifaceted impact of virtual engagement with social networking sites on patterns of open communication within families. The study aims to investigate the influence of virtual engagement on real-life priorities and connections, proposing hypotheses that posit significant correlations between online identity maintenance and decreases in family social interaction and bonding. Utilizing a quantitative approach, the research employs a survey method with standardized questions to collect data from 800 participants. The data is analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26, revealing key demographic information and social media usage patterns. Linear regression analyses support the hypotheses, demonstrating a significant relationship between time spent on social media and reduced family interaction and bonding, as well as its impact on family relations and priorities. The findings suggest that excessive engagement in sustaining online identities negatively influences real-life relationships, emphasizing the need to address the growing trend of social media dependency in familial contexts. The findings serve as a guide for the strategists who may plan to sustain social values and good relations between parents and their (young) adults in what they are perceiving as digital Pakistan of the future.

Effect of Mothers’ Work-Family Gains on Children’s Communication: Dual Mediating Role of Mothers’ Permissive Parenting Practices and Children’s Media Dependency

Objectives: Recently, there has been a noticeable increase in mothers who juggle their jobs and raising children. This study examined the effect of mothers’ work-family gains on school-aged children’s communication skills. Specifically, we investigated how this influence is dual-mediated by mothers’ permissive parenting practices and children’s media dependency.Methods: This study utilized data from 10th version of the Panel Study of Korean Children (PSKC). Data were collected from 707 children (364 boys, 343 girls) and their working mothers. The average age of children was 9.4 (<i>SD</i> = 1.40). The study conducted descriptive, correlation, regression analyses, including bootstrapping, employing SPSS 27.0, and the PROCESS macro version 4.2 to examine the hypothesized dual mediation model.Results: First, mothers’ work-family gains negatively affected children’s communication skills. Second, mother’s work-family gains had decreased mother’s permissive parenting practices and children’s media dependency, but increased children’s communication skills. Therefore, variables showed partial mediation effect on their relationship. Third, the dual mediation effect of mothers’ permissive parenting practices and children’s media dependency had verified significant indirect effects with a 95% confidence interval.Conclusion: These findings indicate the critical role of the effects of mothers’ work-family gains on children’s communication skills, dual mediated by mother’s permissive parenting practices and children’s media dependency. These findings highlight the importance of focusing on mothers’ work-family gains rather than work-family conflicts. Moreover, this study provides an academic basis for examining the importance of mothers’ work-family gains on school-aged children, including working mothers of infants or young children.

Algorithm dependency in platformized news use

Previous research has highlighted the ambiguous experience of algorithmic news curation whereby people are simultaneously comfortable with algorithms, but also concerned about the underlying data collection practices. The present article builds on media dependency theory and news-finds-me (NFM) perceptions to explore this tension. Empirically, we analyze original survey data from six European countries (Germany, Sweden, France, Greece, Poland, and Italy, n = 2,899) to investigate how young Europeans’ privacy concerns and attitudes toward algorithms affect NFM. We find that a more positive attitude toward algorithms and more privacy concerns are related to stronger NFM. The study highlights power asymmetries in platformized news use and suggests that the ambivalent experiences might be a result of algorithm dependency, whereby individuals rely on algorithms in platformized news use to meet their information needs, despite accompanying risks and concerns.

Investigating the Psychological, Social, Cultural, and Religious Predictors of COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake Intention in Digital Age: A Media Dependency Theory Perspective.

Media exposure to health communication contents related to the COVID-19 pandemic alone is inadequate to measure the influence of media on individuals in adopting precautionary behaviors against COVID-19, such as vaccine uptake. Certain individuals may pay attention to and be influenced by communication content. However, literature has suggested other instrumental determinants in developing and adopting health precautionary measures, such as culture or religion, especially regarding vaccination. In times of crisis, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, it is valuable to examine the interrelationships among psychological, sociocultural, and informational factors. This can provide valuable insights for policymakers in developing effective communication strategies. Drawing an analogy between the Media dependency theory (MDT) and the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) model, this study unravels the factors underpinning the COVID-19 vaccine uptake intention among Pakistanis. The study utilized a cross-sectional research design and employed a survey method to gather data from a sample of 993 participants. The findings obtained from the PLS-SEM analysis confirmed that individuals relied on both traditional and social media to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings show that individuals rely more on the informational content disseminated through conventional media channels. The findings also suggest that individuals from Asian countries, such as Pakistan, tend to be more inclined toward collectivism. The findings about the moderating role of religiosity suggest that religious beliefs significantly shape individuals' reliance on traditional media. Hence, this study has uniquely contributed to public health and media management by providing a strategy for managers to address disseminating misinformation related to religion and its impact on vaccination-related health issues. The study has theoretically confirmed the principles of media dependency theory. As a result, it is recommended that various information sources be utilized to cultivate resilience among individuals to manage health crises effectively.

A Study of Chinese Students’ Media Dependence on Douyin in Malaysia

This paper uses the “Media System Dependency Theory” proposed by American communication scholars Paul Rockich and Melvin DeFleur as a research framework to investigate the deep-seated reasons for the dependence of Chinese international students on Jitterbug in social media, and to propose countermeasures. Overseas students are an important force for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and their values will influence the values of the whole society in the future. The international students are in the period of value formation and cognition, so it is very important to grasp the cognition formation in this period. With the advent of the mobile Internet era, short video social media, represented by Jitterbug, has become one of the most popular leisure and entertainment platforms for international students. However, while Jitterbug has brought rich experiences to young people, some negative effects have come along with it. Many international students seem to be inseparable from Jitterbug, gradually developing into a strongly sticky “relationship chimera”. It can be said that tens of thousands of international students not only cannot leave Jitterbug, but also gradually develop a kind of “dependency syndrome”—spending a lot of time and energy indulging in it, experiencing negative effects such as reduced attention span and indifferent interpersonal communication, and becoming doubly dependent on Jitterbug in terms of emotion and behavior. This study aims to examine the effects of the dual dependence on Jitterbug. Therefore, this study hopes to analyze the dependence of international students on Jitterbug as a social media and propose countermeasures to improve the media literacy of international students.

Influence Unveiled: Exploring the Power of Digital Influencers for eWOM and Shaping Follower’s Purchasing Intentions

Drawing upon Media Dependency Theory, the study examines the emergence of digital influencer’s trustworthiness from antecedents i-e content value and influencer’s credibility between, as well as the impact of trustworthiness on the follower's purchase intention while evaluating the perceived value as a moderator between this relationship. The sample size was 346 respondents, and the data came from Pakistani social media users who were actively following influencers on content platforms. Data was analyzed using the partial least squares- structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) method. The findings revealed a significant and positive association between followers' intention to buy endorsed brands and their perception of trust. Additionally, it has been demonstrated that content value and influencer’s credibility have an imperative impact on how trustworthy a digital influencer is perceived. The results also indicated the substantial moderation impact of perceived value. The study is one of the few of its type that draws upon media dependence theory for brands and establishes the efficient influencer marketing practices to have a strong eWOM (electronic word of mouth) in Pakistan, by doing so it makes a significant contribution to the literature on digital marketing. The outcomes of the study contribute to the existing body of knowledge of digital marketing as well as marketing. Additionally, the findings also offer real time practical implications for brands and businesses, particularly digital enterprises, by helping them better understand and put influencer marketing strategies into practice to assure success in their endeavors.

Pengaruh Media Sosial Instagram Terhadap Fanatisme dan Fomo Pada Followers Akun Instagram @7fanboy.Bts Army Indonesia

The development of communication technology is now inseparable from the internet. Information and communication technology has become very fast especially with the addition of the internet so that it has experienced many changes such as the emergence of online media that makes it easier for humans to access all information and content without limit. One of the phenomena of the influx of new culture due to globalization and the internet is Hallyu or K-Pop. Social media has become a place that really helps K-Popers in accessing all sources of information about their idols, not only as a means of information, social media also acts as a medium of communication for them with their favorite idols. This research uses the basis of Media Dependence Theory (Dependency Theory). This study aims to determine how much influence Instagram social media has on fanaticism and FoMO on the

Implementation of Da’wah in Counteracting Hoax News on Social Media


 
 
 
 The primary objective of this study is to examine the significance of da'wah values within the MAFINDO (Masyarakat Anti Fitnah Indonesia) website as a means to combat hoax news on social media. The research methodology employed is content analysis, which helps reveal the contents of the research instrument. The study utilizes the Media Dependency Theory to evaluate MAFINDO's image as portrayed in several of its posts. In this particular case, the Media Dependency Theory serves as a tool to better understand how da'wah values manifest in the content presented on the MAFINDO website, aiming to counter hoax news on social media. The study's findings indicate the presence of two da'wah values on the website. Firstly, the MAFINDO website serves as a platform for truth, promoting the value of information disclosure. Additionally, the value of da'wah is evident in the "fact-checking" tool, which makes a significant contribution to fostering an intelligent, critical, and honorable society. Individuals can establish trust and uphold national and societal harmony by collaborating to prevent the spread of fake news. Previous literature lacks research examining the role of da'wah in countering hoaxes, making this study a valuable contribution to the social and religious communication field and the study of hoax news on social media. This research highlights the correlation between social and religious factors in MAFINDO's role as an institution combating defamation and slander, particularly in anti-corruption efforts.
 
 
 

Targeting conditioned media dependencies and FLT-3 in chronic lymphocytic leukemia

AbstractThe importance of the stromal microenvironment in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) pathogenesis and drug resistance is well established. Despite recent advances in CLL therapy, identifying novel ways to disrupt interactions between CLL and its microenvironment may identify new combination partners for the drugs currently in use. To understand the role of microenvironmental factors on primary CLL cells, we took advantage of an observation that conditioned media (CM) collected from stroma was protective of CLL cells from spontaneous cell death ex vivo. The cytokine in the CM-dependent cells that most supports CLL survival in short-term ex vivo culture was CCL2. Pretreatment of CLL cells with anti-CCL2 antibody enhanced venetoclax-mediated killing. Surprisingly, we found a group of CLL samples (9/23 cases) that are less likely to undergo cell death in the absence of CM support. Functional studies revealed that CM-independent (CMI) CLL cells are less sensitive to apoptosis than conventional stroma-dependent CLL. In addition, a majority of the CMI CLL samples (80%) harbored unmutated immunoglobulin heavy-chain variable (IGHV) region. Bulk-RNA sequence analysis revealed upregulation of the focal adhesion and RAS signaling pathways in this group, along with expression of fms-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) and CD135. Treatment with FLT3 inhibitors caused a significant reduction in cell viability among CMI samples. In summary, we were able to discriminate and target 2 biologically distinct subgroups of CLL based on CM dependence with distinct microenvironmental vulnerabilities.

Media dependency, uses and gratifications, and knowledge gap in online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic: The case of Afghanistan and Turkey

This study aims to address how dependency on media for learning purposes increased dramatically during COVID-19 by assessing the effects of online learning on students’ academic performance during the COVID-19 pandemic with a specific focus on Afghanistan and Turkey. Through the theoretical framework of the uses and gratifications theory, the study tries to explain the uses of devices to use the internet for learning purposes to gratify the needs of students during the pandemic. Furthermore, the study tries to address how the knowledge gap between students of different countries affects students’ academic performance during online learning and their uses and gratifications of media during COVID-19.<br /> The study followed the quantitative research method where primary data was collected from 400 participants (200 Afghan and 200 Turkish students) through a close-ended survey questionnaire. The study found that Turkish students were more satisfied with the online learning process during the COVID-19 pandemic than Afghan students. Furthermore, there is a considerable difference in attitude, perceived impact, and satisfaction with online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic among Afghan and Turkish students. Due to the knowledge gap, Turkish students had a better attitude toward online learning during the pandemic as compared to Afghan students. The study also found that Turkish students perceived a more significant impact of online learning on their academic performance during the COVID-19 pandemic in contrast to Afghan students. Limited access to different media and technological resources for Afghan students shaped their learning outcomes by lowering their academic performance.

Climate Change and University Students Traditional Media, New Media, and Interpersonal Communication Sought for Obtaining Informational Gratifications

The information is available from different sources in this age of media and communication. The audience has more opportunities than before to get access to various and diverse means of communication. This study contributes to the uses and gratifications knowledge and the media dependency theory by analyzing the opinion of university students about their informational gratifications from numerous information sources to explain media dependency. The university students from Pakistan constitute the population for the study. The quota sampling technique is used to select a sample of 600 university students. The quantitative approach is used to collect responses with the help of a questionnaire. The 7-point Likert scale is used to collect data. Descriptive statistics are used for the analysis of data. Overall it is revealed that newer forms of information sources in comparison to the sources of “traditional” forms of media and the means of “interpersonal communication” are mostly used among university students. Television news, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Google search, the interpersonal communication with class fellows and friends are found to be active sources for getting information about climate change. The study has implications for digital marketing for climate-related content.

Implications of Social Media Dependency in Pakistan

This article aims to provide a detailed discourse on the studies that have been conducted in the past four years to assess Pakistani individuals’ social media dependency, in the context of media system dependency theory, and its implications on the cognitive and behavioral aspects of their everyday lives. Skimming down to the conclusion, the article addresses strategies that could, if implemented, be beneficial for any hazardous consequences to the well-being of Pakistani social media users and suggests longitudinal studies for looking into the evolving patterns of social media dependency.

Structures for Screens: Longitudinal associations between parental media rules and problematic media use in early childhood.

Media use is increasingly becoming an important facet of early childhood, and while professional organizations and researchers have attempted to present guidelines to parents to help them structure their children's media use, many parents either are not aware of these guidelines, or struggle to effectively implement them into their children's daily routine. This research aimed to examine what rules parents of young children are implementing to structure their children's media use and how specific media rules affected development of children's problematic media use (an early indicator of media dependence) longitudinally from ages 2-4 (three time points, each one year apart) in a sample of n = 435 children. We found that more parents have rules around their child's TV use than tablet use when children are around age 2 ½ years old, and that a sizable minority of parents (n = 45; 10.30%) or parents do not allow their child to use tablets at this same age. There was no relationship between media rules and problematic media use at Time 2. However, parents who did not allow their child to use tablets at Time 1 had lower levels of child problematic media use at Time 3, implying that the rules parents set around young children's use of tablets and other personal media devices may be impactful in protecting children from the development of problematic media use.

A Social Identity Model of Localized Social Media Dependency During Post-Earthquake Disaster

ABSTRACT Intra- and inter-group dynamics involving local identity have rarely been examined in media contexts. Drawing on Media System Dependency and Social Identity Perspectives, we examine the information power of localized social media (LSM) during post-earthquake disaster. The quake-affected city, Pohang in South Korea, is relatively small-sized and geographically peripheral compared to the Seoul metropolitan area. We conducted an online survey with 530 female members of Pohang Mom Noriteo, the largest Pohang-based LSM platform, which represents a high-entitativity online group. Results indicate that uncertain local identity resulting from the earthquake predicted the strengthened relation with the LSM. Notably, strong local identifiers with heightened risk perception reported a substantially reduced negative perception of Seoul-based mainstream media coverage of the earthquakes. We discuss these findings in light of the unique group status of the city, which was jeopardized by the disaster, and the essential role of mainstream media during post-disaster periods.

Sahara Reporters and Premium Times online coverage of the Russia–Ukraine war

Abstract Purpose The mass media have continued to be significant news sources for human society, particularly during conflict and war. The media dependency theory posits that during crisis or instability, society relies more on traditional and new media to help it understand the developments in the war. This article investigated the frequency of the coverage of the Russia–Ukraine War by Sahara Reporters and Premium Times, ascertained the most dominant tone used by Sahara Reporters and Premium Times in the reporting of the Russian–Ukraine War, and unfurled the frame of coverage of Russian–Ukraine War by Sahara Reporters and Premium Times. Theoretical and Methodical Considerations Anchored in Robert Entman’s Framing Theory, online publications of Sahara Reporters and Premium Times from March 2022 to September 2022 served as the population of the study and the census sampling technique was used to draw a sample for the study. The explanation-building model was the method of data analysis. Findings Results showed that Sahara Reporters and Premium Times reports on the 2022 Russian–Ukraine War were frequent. Also, they paid more attention to the impacts of the war on Nigerian emigrants or students overseas in Russia and Ukraine. Implications Our findings suggest that online newspapers mostly toned the Russian–Ukraine War in negative slants and framed the stories highlighting the impact of the war on Nigerians, especially Nigerian students in Russia and Ukraine. Value The article brings a new perspective to the Russian–Ukraine War in media scholarship by examining Nigeria’s online news reporting of the Russian–Ukraine conflict. It is, therefore, recommended that Nigerian online newspapers not solely focus on negative reports of the war and its implications for stakeholders in Nigeria. They should adopt a more diverse range of frames and tones in their coverage, to influence stakeholders to take action to prevent wars and hold the Nigerian government accountable for providing adequate infrastructure and human capital that discourages emigration in search of a better life both academically and otherwise.