Society, media and audiences
Ball-Rokeach and DeFleur (1976) sought to explain media effects within social structure rather than through individual psychology alone. In modern society people obtain most information about a world they cannot experience directly from the media, and social systems such as government and business also need the media to pursue their goals. The media, in turn, depend on social systems and audiences for sources and revenue. Within these interdependent relations, the more people rely on media information, the more the media can produce effects such as attitude formation, agenda setting and changes in values.
Individual dependency goals and crises
Ball-Rokeach (1985) identified three goals for which individuals depend on media: understanding, of oneself and society; orientation, deciding what to buy and how to act; and play, for enjoyment and relaxation. Dependency becomes stronger when society is unstable or marked by conflict and change, and when alternative sources of information are few. Loges (1994) reported survey evidence that people who perceive greater threats to society are more media dependent, and Lowrey (2004) reported that people relied heavily on news immediately after the September 11 attacks.
Contrast with uses and gratifications
Ball-Rokeach (1998) stressed that, unlike uses and gratifications theory, which starts from individual needs, this is a theory of media power arising from the media's control of information resources in society. Ball-Rokeach and colleagues (2001) later extended it to the community level, showing that a communication infrastructure linking local media, community organizations and residents' conversations increases belonging and participation. Critics note, however, that dependency is measured inconsistently across studies and that its meaning has changed in an environment with many channels such as the internet and social media.
FAQ
- What is media system dependency theory in simple terms?
- The more people rely on the media to understand the world and make decisions, the more influence the media have. Everyone turning to the news after a disaster or major event is the classic example.
- How does it differ from uses and gratifications theory?
- Uses and gratifications theory focuses on individuals actively choosing media to satisfy their needs, while media system dependency theory focuses on people's dependence on media information within social structure and the media power that results.
Sources reviewed: 2026-10-26
References
- Ball-Rokeach, S. J., & DeFleur, M. L. (1976). A dependency model of mass-media effects. Communication Research, 3(1), 3–21. The founding statement of the dependency model.
- Ball-Rokeach, S. J. (1985). The origins of individual media-system dependency: A sociological framework. Communication Research, 12(4), 485–510. Individual dependency goals: understanding, orientation and play.
- DeFleur, M. L., & Ball-Rokeach, S. J. (1989). Theories of Mass Communication (5th ed.). New York: Longman. A textbook placing dependency theory among mass communication theories.
- Loges, W. E. (1994). Canaries in the coal mine: Perceptions of threat and media system dependency relations. Communication Research, 21(1), 5–23. Perceived threat increases media dependency.
- Ball-Rokeach, S. J. (1998). A theory of media power and a theory of media use: Different stories, questions, and ways of thinking. Mass Communication and Society, 1(1–2), 5–40. Recasts dependency as a theory of media power.
- Ball-Rokeach, S. J., Kim, Y.-C., & Matei, S. (2001). Storytelling neighborhood: Paths to belonging in diverse urban environments. Communication Research, 28(4), 392–428. Communication infrastructure and neighborhood belonging.
- Lowrey, W. (2004). Media dependency during a large-scale social disruption: The case of September 11. Mass Communication and Society, 7(3), 339–357. Media dependency after September 11.