Determinants of Urban Community Residents’ Dependency on Local Communication Resources During Economic Crises

• In Event: Issues in Crisis, Risk, Disaster Comunication Research

Abstract

Extensive research indicates that the influence of media on individuals increases when a society goes through a severe disruption. In this study, we investigate what individual-level differences shaped New York City residents’ dependency on media for information that facilitated making sense of the recent economic crisis. Guided by media system dependency theory as well as information seeking behavior research, we examine three determinants of dependency: (a) perceived economic threat, (b) financial literacy, and (c) individuals’ coping strategies. We study how these variables, independently and in interaction, shape individuals’ dependency on local communication resources (i.e., newspapers, radio and television, Internet-based information resources including social networking sites). Participants (N = 338) were recruited into an online survey. Logistic and OLS regressions showed that although socio-economic factors and threat are important determinants of media dependency, the combined and understudied roles of financial literacy and individuals’ preferred coping strategies in dependency can be critical.

Authors

• Hyerim Jo, U at Albany, State U of New York

• Matthew D. Matsaganis, Rutgers University