Media Multiplexity Theory

2021 ◽  
pp. 354-365
Author(s):  
Andrew M. Ledbetter
Keyword(s):  
Media Multiplexity

Weak ties matter: Social network dynamics of mobile media multiplexity and their impact on the social support and psychological well-being experienced by migrant workers

2021 ◽  
pp. 205015792110011
Author(s):  
Piper Liping Liu ◽  
Tien Ee Dominic Yeo
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Migrant Workers ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Weak Ties ◽  
Mobile Media ◽  
Strong Ties ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
The Social ◽  
Media Multiplexity ◽  
Mobile Ict

This study investigates the contextual and relational characteristics that underlie people’s information and communication technology (ICT) use and the implications for their well-being. We contextualize this investigation according to migrants, because they are faced with disruptions to their personal networks in the migration process that may attenuate the availability of social support and negatively affect their mental health. Migrants tend to be proficient in using mobile ICT to connect with different social ties to fulfill their needs, which potentially makes a difference to their psychological well-being. Through a survey of 504 internal migrant workers in China, we examined the social network factors that underlie multiple mobile ICT use and the attendant influences on social support and psychological well-being. Redressing the overemphasis on the importance of strong ties in extant literature, this study highlights the salience of mobile media multiplexity (i.e., the use of multiple mobile communication channels for social interactions) in weak tie communication and the greater contribution of weak ties toward social support and psychological well-being than strong ties. Our findings suggest that mobile-mediated communicative relationships with newer and more distanced social connections outside their immediate circles enhance the well-being of migrants. We contend that media multiplexity vis-à-vis weak ties underscores the reconfiguration of migrants’ communicative relationships following the separation from original ties and facilitates rewarding interactions with new ties.

Extending media multiplexity theory to the extended family: Communication satisfaction and tie strength as moderators of violations of media use expectations

2016 ◽  
Vol 19 (9) ◽  
pp. 1369-1387 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel Hardman Taylor ◽  
Andrew M Ledbetter
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Study ◽  
Family Communication ◽  
Media Use ◽  
Extended Family ◽  
Communication Satisfaction ◽  
Tie Strength ◽  
Expectancy Violations ◽  
Use Patterns ◽  
Media Multiplexity ◽  
The Relationship

Guided by media multiplexity theory (MMT), this article reports results of an experimental study examining how participants say they would respond to hypothetical changes in media use (i.e. increasing or decreasing use frequency) by an extended family member. After contending that MMT addresses both media use patterns and expectations, we employed expectancy violations theory (EVT) to consider the extent to which communication satisfaction (CS) and tie strength moderate evaluations of media use violations. Results supported MMT’s prediction that tie strength would moderate the extent to which the violation was perceived as important, whereas, following EVT, CS with the relative moderated perception of the violation’s valence. Beyond highlighting possible outcomes of media use violations, these results commend the nature of the relationship as a motivating force for media selection in interpersonal contexts.

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