Media system dependency theory

Ball-Rokeach & DeFleur's (1976) MSD conceptual model

Media system dependency theory (MSD), or simply media dependency, was developed by Sandra Ball-Rokeach and Melvin Defleur in 1976.[1] The theory is grounded in classical sociological literature positing that media and their audiences should be studied in the context of larger social systems.[2]

MSD ties together the interrelations of broad social systems, mass media, and the individual into a comprehensive explanation of media effects. At its core, the basic dependency hypothesis states that the more a person depends on media to meet needs, the more important media will be in a person's life, and therefore the more effects media will have on a person.[3]

  1. ^ Ball-Rokeach, Sandra J; DeFleur, ML (1976). "A dependency model of mass-media effects". Communication Research. 3 (1): 3–21. doi:10.1177/009365027600300101. S2CID 145125706.
  2. ^ Ognyanova, K.; Ball-Rokeach, S. J. (2012). "Political Efficacy on the Internet: A Media System Dependency Approach". Academia.edu. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  3. ^ S.J. Ball-Rokeach, M.L. DeFleurA dependency model of mass media effects Commun. Res., 3 (1976), pp. 3-21, 10.1177/009365027600300101